Stolen
by Saw-v1
Summary: After the events of Journey's End, Rose Tyler is stuck in the parallel world with a copy of the man she loves and no way back. But then comes this crazy woman who offers her to start again, and maybe, just maybe, stay with the doctor this time. Rewrite from serie 1. T for mild language. ROSExDOCTOR
1. Of Beginnings

'**Kay! Bit about me first. If you check my profile, you'll see that I'm more of a translator, really. There are only two stories I wrote myself in all I've published, and those are a short story and a one-shot. It doesn't mean I haven't written a lot of stuff over the years, bits and pieces here and there, but I'm usually too busy with real life and translations to see things through. Doesn't mean I won't ever publish what I wrote either; just mean I need to finish it first.**

**This story is different. Cause I've been obsessed with it for a while now. Can't stop thinking about it, dream about it even and I've got a lot of stuff already planned in my head just waiting to be written. Now it's only a matter of having time to do it (which admittedly I don't have) but I think it means I'll see this story through, come high and low.**

**I only know the new serie, and I've been a Doctor/Rose shipper from the beginning. Watching him leave her with the meta-crisis just about broke my heart because well, he's not the Doctor, is he? Felt like we were thrown a bone, ya know.**

**I've been binge-reading lately, and I found several JE fix-it stories I loved. And it made me want to do my own. So here it is. I hope I can offer you a different spin than those stories, and I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I'll love writing it. Here's to hoping.**

**Couple of things left, and then, I swear I'll let you on your reading. As I've said, I've read a lot of stories before deciding to write this one, and although I won't read them anymore (to avoid what I'm about to say really), some left a mark. So it is more than likely that you might sometimes read some stuff that reminds you of another of those stories but it will be purely accidental. I swear.**

**Also, it's obvious (well, if you checked my profile, that is) that English is not my first language. So I could really do with a beta. If someone's interested, PM me.**

**Now, last thing I have to tell you is that no matter how hard I wish for it, I don't own Doctor who and/or anything you might recognize from somewhere else. I do own however 57 pairs of socks and 3 pairs of shoes.**

**Oh, and enjoy!**

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**Reuploading it now that it's been checked by hawkerin, who has agreed to be my beta! Hopefully, some things will make more sense now! :D**

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**Of Beginnings **

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Rose Tyler knew she was dreaming. Or rather, having a nightmare. Cause this place, this place where she was, it was the place where life as she once knew it came to an end. The place where her heart broke the first time ("_And I suppose, if it's one last chance to say it, Rose Tyler…"_), and shattered without hope of ever healing the second ("_I love you."_).

Because, even if John Noble really did love her, even if he had the same memories, same thoughts, same everything, but only got one heart, he wasn't the Doctor.

For the Doctor _did_ have two hearts. No matter how painful and how unfair it was to both of them. And she knew they both beat for her, even if he could never tell her. And sure, that still pissed her off. That her oh so brave Doctor could be such a coward when faced with his feelings but it made him who he was: the battle-born man full of blood and anger and revenge, all in leather and big ears; the mad-man with his box who never gave second chance, all in big smiles and big eyes and _great_ hair; the stupid Time Lord so used to having happiness ripped from him that he was terrified of admitting that he could feel anything for the pink and yellow human who had promised him forever.

But it didn't matter to her. It never did. Because she loved him, just as he was.

John had been really understanding. Of course he had! He was the Doctor in all the ways that mattered but one. He understood how Rose felt. Understood that, even if she had kissed him, she had done so under the influence of the adrenalin and the serotonin still running through her veins. That in her euphoria – for saving the world once more, for finally being reunited with him – she hadn't been able to resist hearing a perfect copy of the man she loved tell her that he _did_, in fact, love her. The kiss had been passionate but brief, and she was already pulling back by the time she heard the sound of the universe abandoning her on that beach. She had screamed herself hoarse, calling for the Doctor, begging him to come back, to take her with him. When her voice had broken, she had collapsed, shivering and crying, unable to breathe and wishing to die. Because for one perfect moment, she had gotten back all she ever wanted only to lose it again by sheer stupidity. On both of their parts really: hers, for a stupid moment of weakness, and his, for being daft enough to think that giving her a copy of himself would ever make her happy.

And so, she had been forced to resume the life she'd thought she left behind ever since her first jump in the dimension canon. She'd gone back to Torchwood, back to the manor, to her mum and dad and Tony. John had come with her, because the Doctor's words were true, he did need her. Well, he needed anyone, really, to help him settle down, and help him create a life. He'd decided to call himself Noble. He'd told her that when the question of his identity had first arisen. He'd said that in a voice so different than his usual one, with a dreamy expression that didn't belong on his face that it made her think there was a story behind the name, a memory she wasn't part of. She'd simply nodded and lost herself back in her thoughts, trying to decide if there still might be a crack somewhere that she could slip through. He'd apologized then, reading her mind the way the Doctor sometimes did. He'd insisted there were no more cracks, anywhere, the Doctor would have made sure of that. At that news, she had broken down again.

She felt like breaking down was all she'd done those first few weeks. Of course, she'd done the same the first time around, but this was so much worse. In so many ways... Because of John. Because here he was, a carbon copy of the man she loved more than anything else. So close by, reminding her of how far the Doctor was. Sometimes, she just had to catch a glimpse of him to break down. Other times, she'd manage to keep it together enough to talk to him, all cold and clinical. Because as soon as he tried to invite a little warmth in their conversations, tears would start running down on her cheeks. And she hated that it hurt him too, that he knew that it was his fault she was such a mess. Well, not really his fault, he'd never asked for any of it. Rather he knew that his mere presence made her such a mess.

And it hurt him so, so badly. Because those words he'd whispered in her ear were true. He did love her, with all that he was. He _was_ the Doctor with the same memories, same thoughts, same everything. And he loved her with his single heart. She felt so guilty for the pain she was putting him through, for not being able to love him as he most certainly deserved to be loved. With all her soul. But her soul belonged to another him.

She felt like neither of them had been given a choice. The Doctor took that choice away from her, and John never had one to begin with. He was born loving her.

And wasn't that just the saddest thing ever?

Sometimes she wondered if she could do it. For John. Because if there was one person who'd deserve it, it was John. So she wondered if she ever could do what the Doctor wanted her to do: have a fantastic life and love that human version of himself he'd given her. She'd tried to imagine it, ignoring the painful thudding of her heart. Tried to imagine herself giving John a chance, to love him, live with him, laugh with him, but the mere idea was excruciating and she'd end up gasping for air, unable to even breathe around the iron fist crushing her heart.

And John never said anything. That was the worst part of it. He didn't rant and rave about the unfairness of it all. He didn't yell at her to get over herself, to notice him here, and for fuck's sake to stop hurting him the way she knew she was. He just stared at her with his big brown eyes, so full of love and devotion and pain and...pity. He pitied her. In what kind of world were they living that such an ironic thing could exist? He pitied her because she – the woman he loved more than anything – couldn't be with another man. Another him.

She was so tired of it all, of hurting John, of crying so much she felt she was born with red eyes, of the exhaustion she now lived her life with. And so, so tired of this inextinguishable thirst she felt all the time – mild dehydration, she knew, for all the tears she spilled every day. She was just...tired.

And now, even her subconscious wouldn't let her rest anymore.

The nightmare was a familiar one, one she'd had many times the first time around – when she could at least still sleep for a while at night. She was standing on that beach, so far away from the home she made for herself in this new world, so much further from her real home. The wind was whipping her blond hair all around her face, the salt from the ocean was burning her throat and her eyes, and she would turn around. He'd be there, her Doctor, just a projection, an illusion, so, so far away from her and so alone. And he would open his mouth, say her name and then disappear, like the fragment of a dream we forget as soon as we wake up.

She used to wake up screaming for him, begging him to stay, and crying. Always crying, until her mum and dad came into her room and soothed her, rocked her to sleep like a child, only to start anew a few hours later. All night. Every night. Until a doctor had prescribed her sleeping pills. But she'd stopped taking them when she'd started to jump, comforted even in her sleep by the knowledge that she was getting back to him.

Ever since she'd come back, the pills weren't working anymore.

Now the only time she would sleep was when she passed out from sheer exhaustion, after days spent crying and trying to keep the shambles of her life together. Once or twice she'd collapsed in the middle of the day, her knees giving out, unconscious even before she reached the floor.

Her parents had taken her to a doctor, of course, and he'd prescribed her the strongest sleeping pills he could think of, but they just made her drowsy, nothing more. The doctor was baffled, her parents worried and herself mildly interested. Medicine from this world had worked the first time around. Was she developing some sort of immunity? Or maybe her metabolism worked differently? Or maybe, just maybe, her pain was so strong this time around that it couldn't be sedated by anything.

Whatever the reason was, she didn't care. She didn't care about a lot of things nowadays.

The wind was blowing, the salt was burning, and she was once more standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to drown in an ocean of pain. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned around, trying to mentally prepare herself for seeing her Doctor once more...

Only to watch, baffled, as a slender figure in a dress came barreling toward her.

"Wolf! My Wolf!" the woman squealed. "I've found you!" She skidded to a halt in front of her, almost losing her balance and Rose instinctively grabbed her to settle her. The woman beamed at her.

She had dark hair piled up on the top of her head and dark shining eyes. She wore a Victorian dress, in a shade of blue awfully familiar to Rose but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. But the dress was tattered, split open in several places and her hair was falling down on her face and Rose couldn't be sure but thought there might be blood on her shoulder.

"Listen," Rose said. "You don't look so good."

The woman made a derisive sound, still beaming, her eyes devouring Rose's face. Rose was confused, they were in her dream, right?

"Wolf!" the woman squealed again. "Hello! My Wolf! Can I bite you?"

Did she hear that right? "What?!" Rose asked, stepping back.

"I like biting. I will like biting? Oh, tenses are confusing! It's like kissing but there's a winner," the woman told her happily.

"Err, listen, lady," Rose began. Seriously, it was too much even for her. "People don't go around biting strangers around here, or getting bitten by strangers. Same goes for kisses, really."

The woman's face fell. "Oh." Then she lit up again. "But we're not strangers, you and I. You're my Wolf. So can I?"

She looked at her with so much hope that Rose had to pinch herself. She didn't feel anything since they were in her dream though. "I'm sorry lady, but I haven't the foggiest who you are," Rose told her honestly. "And I'm no wolf," she then added, shivering at the memories creeping up on her.

"But...but...you are," the woman said, pouting. "We're...we're..." The woman frowned, clearly searching for the right word. "Friends. No. Not just friends. Something friend. Or is it fried? Stir-fried? No. No. No. That's not right. Friends. Something friend."

Rose frowned too. Had she finally lost her mind? Was that what was really happening? Was she huddled in a corner of her room, mumbling about stir-fried?

The woman made a frustrated noise at the back of her throat. "I should have upgraded it before I archived it."

"Upgraded what?" Rose asked despite herself.

"This!" the woman exclaimed, gesturing at herself. "I've seen what will happen, and I liked it – will like it? – so I've decided to archive a version of it, for neatness you understand, but..."

"Lady," Rose interrupted, getting frustrated. "You make absolutely no sense. Who the hell are you?"

The woman smiled, a huge beaming smile full of adoration. "He calls me Sexy."

"Err..." Rose was taken aback. And maybe a little stunned. "Who?" She coughed. "Who does?"

"My Thief!" the woman answered happily. As if it should made sense to Rose. "You know my Thief. He and I stole you together."

"What?!" Rose sputtered. "I've never been stolen," she said. _I only had everything stolen from me, _that she didn't say.

The woman snorted. "Course you were. We did. You came with us and we traveled."

Rose was starting to get frustrated. "Listen, I'd remember if I ever traveled with a cra...lady like you."

"No. No. No," the woman moaned, and her eyes were brighter. "But you do remember me. You cry for me sometimes. If only I remembered the name you called me. Because my Thief said – says? Will say? – that he only calls me Sexy when we're alone. And you only call me that name where no-one can hear you too. You will know who I am. Friends. Friend something. Something friend..."

The woman kept muttering and Rose kept staring. What the hell was going on?

"Listen..." Rose began.

"GIRLFRIEND!" the woman shouted happily.

"Huh?"

"You call me Girlfriend! You said 'Hello Girlfriend' and I'll say 'Hello Girlfriend' and you stroke bits of me. I like when you do that."

"Wha...?" Rose was flabbergasted. What the hell?

The woman's face fell when she saw Rose's expression. "You still don't recognise me?"

Mute, Rose shook her head.

"Oh. I've got another name. A name you use when you talk about me. What is it again?"

Rose's head was spinning. What the hell was going on? Who was that crazy woman? What did she want with her?

"Oh, you know me. Better than anyone. Maybe even better than my Thief." The woman was getting frustrated again. "I'm big, and blue, and you looked into me and I looked into you and together we made you howl."

Impossible. That was just impossible. There was no way. Absolutely no way. Still, Rose had to ask.

"The TARDIS?!"

"Time And Relative Dimension In Space. Yes, that's it. Names are funny. It's me. I'm the TARDIS."

"No, you're not. You're a bitey, mad lady," Rose muttered, because really the other option was just impossible.

"Hm, that's exactly what he said – is saying – will say," the woman sniggered.

"Who?" Rose asked without even consciously deciding to do so. That was just crazy.

"My Thief. We live together. And he talks and runs around and brings home strays. A lot."

"The Doctor," Rose breathed painfully.

"My Doctor," the woman – the TARDIS? – confirmed, beaming. "He stole me and I stole him and we stole you together."

"You're really the TARDIS?" Rose couldn't believe it.

"Yes, it's me," the woman answered happily. "I've been looking everywhere we went for you," she then continued, frowning. "But you've been hidden, so far away that I..."

Rose couldn't keep it together anymore. She launched herself at the other woman, crying. She felt the TARDIS hesitantly close her arms around her.

"This is nice," the TARDIS breathed in her hair. "What are we doing?"

Rose gave a wet little chuckle. "We're huggin'."

"Huggin'? I like that. It's even better than biting will be."

"How?" Rose started before choking on a sob. "How come you're human?"

"This will happen to me soon," the TARDIS told her. "My console was stolen and I'll be transferred into this body. I like it. It's nice to be able to talk to you and to my Thief."

"Soon?" Rose repeated, pulling back a little to see her face. "Hold on. How come you can do that if it hasn't happened yet?"

The TARDIS gave a little laugh. "I exist across all time and space. I can do anything I like."

"Can you..." Rose swallowed, hard. "Can you bring me back?"

The TARDIS stroked her cheek. "I'm the one stroking a bit of you for once," she giggled, before answering, "That's why I'm here."

Rose sucked in a breath and hold it, not daring to believe what she was hearing. "Re...really? For real? But the Doctor said..."

"There are things even my Thief doesn't know," the TARDIS interrupted her. "Things even he can't do. As I will say – no, as I've said, I've been looking everywhere we went for you, and now, I've finally found you and can bring you back where you belong."

"But how?" Rose managed to ask, too choked by hope to say anything else.

"Something bad is happening, and I'm going BOOM!" the TARDIS shouted, making Rose jump, "all across the universe. And there are cracks in the fabric of reality, cracks that are absorbing time and space and I slipped through one to find you and bring you home. Because you're not happy."

"No," Rose breathed, enraptured by the humanoid TARDIS in front of her. "I'm the furthest thing from happy."

"I know," the TARDIS whispered. "I can hear you cry for us every second of every hour." She sighed and added, "My Thief is not happy either."

"He left me here," Rose muttered, and questions suddenly popped in her head. Did he actually leave her here on purpose? Did he not love her like she thought he did? Would he even want her back? Things that were certain for her earlier were now turning to fears when faced with the possibility of returning.

"He can be an idiot sometimes," the TARDIS grumbled. And Rose's mind filled with pictures of her Doctor.

_The horror on his face when she let go of the lever at Canary Wharf, falling toward the void._

_The Doctor, lying in his bed, clutching a pillow and gasping, holding a hand out as if trying to catch something._

_The tears rolling down his face when the connection between them was broken before he could tell her how much he loved her._

_Her bedroom door, still situated across from the Doctor's. A stroke of his finger on the golden rose adorning it every time he passed by._

_The smile appearing on his face when he first spotted her when she finally made her way back, lightening his whole face as he started to run toward her._

_The Doctor watching her kiss John. The heartbroken expression on his face and Donna's hand on his shoulder, trying to slow him down as he left without looking back._

_The Doctor lying in her room, holding her pillow to his face and breathing deeply._

_The Doctor, alone in the TARDIS, stroking the console silently before disappearing in the corridor._

_The Doctor, visiting her before they even met, wishing her a brilliant year._

_The Doctor, regenerating, all alone._

"This new body of his was born missing you," the TARDIS told her, echoing something in her mind, as she gasped and clutched her middle, convinced that not only her heart was breaking this time, but her whole body was falling apart under the pain she felt.

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't. He was all alone. Alone and in pain. Just like her. And he needed her. He NEEDED her just like she needed him. Because they could only be happy together. There was no other way for them.

"Bring...bring...me...back..." she begged, through her chattering teeth. "Please! You've...got...to...take...me...back...to...him..." she gasped, barely able to think, let alone talk through the pain choking her. "I...can't...I...can't..." A keening noise – the moan of a wounded animal – reverberated around them and it took her a few seconds to realise that it was coming from her.

"Shhh...shhh...shhh..." The TARDIS soothed her, putting her hands on her temples. "That's why I'm here. That's why I'm here. I came to steal you back!" She breathed, and a soft melody rose in her head, wave after wave of love and comfort washing over her, until the pain finally receded a little. Just enough to allow her to breathe again and listen to the urgent words the TARDIS was telling her.

"...Can just bring your soul back, your body would be too heavy. I can send you back to the first time you stepped in me. I need a physical connection. It will be hard, because Bad Wolf doesn't exist for her yet, but this is the only time I can do it. Using the Big Bang. You'll be returning to the past with your memories of all that happened, but you must remember that even if you can change some things, others are to remain. You will have to become the Bad Wolf again so that I can get you now. Do you understand? I won't be able to talk to you anymore. Not like this, but I will help you whenever I can. You will have to make choices you shouldn't have to make. It will be hard, and painful and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but it is all for the best, do you see? That way you will be reunited with my Thief and you will both be happy again and so will I."

"Ca...Canary Wharf...?" she muttered, unable to explain further, but the TARDIS understood.

"I don't know. The timelines will be rewritten. But not yet. Not until it is done, so even I don't know what will happen. I'm sorry, but you'll have to be strong now."

Rose nodded, took a deep breath, and asked the other thing she wanted to know. The other thing she already an inkling about.

"If I succeed, how long will I be able to stay with him?"

The TARDIS smirked. "We are the Bad Wolf. We created you. When we did, we changed you. Not a lot but enough. And the protective instincts of the Wolf did as well."

"Wha...?" she asked, confused.

"Your ageing has slowed down, I'm sure you've noticed."

Rose nodded, because really, with all she went through, she should look at least ten years older.

"Your body degenerates slower and heals faster," the TARDIS explained.

"But for how long?"

"A lifetime or an eternity. It will depend," the TARDIS answered, mysteriously.

"On what?" she asked, stunned.

"On my Thief of course!"

"What..."

"There is no time left!" the TARDIS hissed. "My Thief is closing the breach. We have to do it now. Are you ready?"

Distantly, Rose thought of her family. Her mum and dad and brother, all asleep, waking up in the morning to realise she was gone. She thought of John, abandoned in a parallel world on his own. But then she realised that if she managed to change the timelines enough, John would never exist. He would fade into oblivion, into a storm of possibilities. And she was sure he would prefer that. She knew he wasn't happy stuck in a world where he didn't belong.

Her mum might find Pete again, though. If everything went like the first time. She still had a chance. Was she selfish, risking her mum's happiness? Yes, she was. Could she do anything about it? No. She was dying and so was the Doctor. She was sure her mum would tell her to go back.

So she nodded.

The TARDIS hugged her again, and the song in her head turned melancholy. "I will miss this once it's gone," she breathed in her hear before kissing her cheek. "Close your eyes."

Rose obeyed and a blinding golden light erupted behind her eyelids as she felt herself leaving her heavy body behind.

"Remember," the TARDIS whispered in her mind, "You must make him ask you twice. He never did before."

And then she knew no more.

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**Soooo... What do you say? Worth continuing? Let me know what you think!**


	2. Rose

**Thanks for the reviews guy! There wasn't a lot of things I could change in this story, so I tried to explain Rose's action more in depth! Hope this chapter will be good and you won't be bored with the familiarity of it all!**

**Don't own anything you recognize from somewhere else. Quotes are taken from the episode 'Rose'.**

**Retrobetae'd by hawkerin!**

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**Rose**

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When she became aware of her surroundings once more, she dizzily realised that a painfully familiar voice was talking to her. "The assembled hoards of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door, and believe me, they've tried. Now, shut up a minute."

Her eyes were closed and she kept them that way. Concentrating on not passing out, she breathed deeply and the familiar smell – something metallic with just a dash of the ocean, something ancient, like very old books, and fresh, like the earth after rain - of the TARDIS reached her nose. _Home_.

Home! After so long she was finally home. It was too good to be true. She couldn't believe it. She was sure it was just a dream, a beautiful dream or a perfect hallucination. Maybe she _did _lose her mind. After all, it was crazy to think that a strange woman in a blue dress was the TARDIS. Even crazier to hope that she had indeed been brought home.

But the voice sounded so real. The smell felt so real. And she felt at home. She hadn't felt at home in such a long time – except for the brief and perfect moment when she had reunited with the Doctor before he left her again. But she felt it _now_. Right here and right now!

Was it crazy to believe she was home? Yes, it was.

Was she crazy enough to dare believing it? Yes, she was.

Slowly, reluctantly, she opened one eye. Then the other.

Her breath caught in her throat when she got a glimpse of her first Doctor – all leather jacket and big ears – running around the console. "You see, the arm was too simple, but the head's perfect. I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source," he said, but he wasn't talking to her. Not really. He was lost in his thoughts, talking to himself running around the console to hook the plastic head on cables.

And Rose's eyes were devouring him. She had forgotten how he looked. Well, she remembered his blue eyes and his big ears and his blinding smile, but she had forgotten how sharp his nose really was, how short his hair was, how tall he was. She had forgotten the smell of his leather jacket, covering the smell that was just the Doctor – no matter what body he was in. She had forgotten how his voice sounded too. How could she have forgotten all that?!

"Right. Where do you want to start?" he asked and she jumped a little. She'd been so lost in her head and in the sight of him that she hadn't noticed him stopping in front of her.

She looked at him and noticed how expectantly he was watching her. What was he waiting for? Oh right, his favourite part when picking someone up he'd once told her. She took a deep breath and tried to centre herself. There'd be time for a nice breakdown later, once they'd taken care of the Nestene Consciousness and Mickey and the invitations.

"Er, the inside's bigger than the outside?" she then asked him, because really, it was what everyone asked first. He'd be suspicious if she didn't.

"Yes," the Doctor replied, matter-of-factly and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes, because really, it was a little condescending.

"Like humans, then?" she muttered, trying to throw him out of the loop.

Judging by his surprised expression, she knew she succeeded. She felt a light amused hum in her head. Lighter than ever before.

"Wha..?" he sputtered.

"Well, yeah, we're the same, aren't we? Bigger on the inside. So much room for thoughts and feelings and memories and dreams. All which can't be kept in our tiny bodies. Sky's the limit, they say. And so many pathways," she added with a nod toward the TARDIS corridor, "changing every day, several times a day really, depending on where we are, whom we're with, what we're doin'...stuffs like that."

"Err, yeah," he muttered, a bit dazed. "I never thought of it like that."

He was looking at her strangely, and Rose realised that she might have gone too far so she shrugged.

"S'not human, though, is it?" she asked. "It's alien."

The Doctor let out a breath. "Yeah."

"Are you alien?" she then asked because again, really, it was the only logical jump for everyone.

He shifted uneasily. "Yes." Then he hesitated before asking, "Is that all right?"

Rose hadn't noticed his hesitation the first time around. It shocked her to realise that he'd been, maybe not afraid, but wary of her reaction to this little tidbit of information. He was always so proud of being a Time Lord, despite the madness controlling his people in their last days. He tended to ignore that fact actually, choosing to remember them at the height of their civilisation. So proud of his planet of origin, so used to considering humans to be apes, especially in this body. Claiming himself superior, not that he would ever admit to the source of that claim. But then she'd reminded herself that he had – not so long ago – just put an end to the Time War. Essentially committing a double genocide, and she realised that he was doubting the worthiness of his very existence at that point, so much that even an ape's opinion of him mattered.

So she replied immediately, in a firm voice,"Yeah."

A tiny smile lifted the corners of the Doctor's mouth and he continued his little speech. "It's called the TARDIS, this thing. T.A.R.D.I.S. That's Time And Relative Dimension In Space."

Almost dreamily, Rose stepped up from the ramp and stroked a piece of coral. _Hello, girlfriend_, she thought and the TARDIS shocked her. She removed her hand, fingers numb, but the hum at the back of her mind grew louder and stronger. A wave of warmth and happiness overwhelmed her and she could almost hear the TARDIS answer her. _Hello, girlfriend!_

She couldn't help it, she burst into tears. It was real. It was really real. She was back. The TARDIS had brought her back and gave her a second chance at happiness.

"That's okay. Culture shock. Happens to the best of us," the Doctor told her, misunderstanding her reaction.

Rose took a deep shuddering breath. _Later_, she reminded herself severely. There'd be time for that later. The TARDIS hummed comfortingly at the back of her head.

Looking anywhere to try and distract herself, she nodded toward the plastic head. "You need it to trace the signal, you say?"

"Yeah," the Doctor answered.

"Better stop it from melting then."

"Melting?" he asked, turning around. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" he exclaimed.

Running back to the console, he pulled a lever and Rose saw the rotor come to life. Then she heard the noise she never thought she'd get to hear ever again, the sound of the universe itself and she took another deep shuddering breath. It had been so long!

"Following the signal," the Doctor informed her – or rather talked to himself – without any prompt from her. "It's fading. Wait a minute, I've got it. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Almost there. Almost there. Here we go!"

They landed smoothly in what Rose knew to be Westminster and she briefly wondered how come the landing was so easy – because, really, she was used to being thrown around the console room most of time – but decided to put that at the back of her mind. The Doctor rushed past her and outside.

By the time she managed to convince her shaky legs to move, he was pacing in front of the TARDIS. "I lost the signal, I got so close."

The frustrated expression on his face was one she knew well, for she'd seen it so many times. She also knew that if she didn't distract him, the frustration would turn to anger, like it so often did when not soothed.

So she asked him one of the very first things that became an inside joke between them, "If you are an alien, how comes you sound like you're from the North?"

A tiny smirk lifted the corner of his mouth when he told her, "Lots of planets have a north," but his frustration was growing, so Rose opted for the next best thing to distract him.

"What's a police public call box?"

The smile he gave her was bigger this time. He really did love the TARDIS. She remembered the smile full of adoration from the humanoid form of the ship and decided the feelings were mutual. The TARDIS hummed approvingly at the back of her head and sent her another wave of affection, one just for her. _I know. I love you too._

"It's a telephone box from the 1950s," he told her, stroking the wooden door. "It's a disguise." She snorted. Good old blue police box.

It was time then to steer the conversation in the right direction again. Maybe if they were a bit faster, they could avoid the massacre the Autons accomplished the last time. "So we're lookin' for the source of the signal, right?"

"Yeah," the Doctor replied, focused once more. "A transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic, so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal," he then offered, without any prompt.

"So, it's got to be massive, right?"

"Yeah, and radial."

She nodded toward the London Eye.

"What? What?"

She bit back a giggle. Last time, she almost thought he was doing it on purpose, but apparently not, so she nodded again.

"What?" He turned around, oblivious, then looked at her again. "What is it? What?"

"Seriously?" She snorted, and really, it was nice to take him down a peg sometimes. _I spy with my little eye..._

He finally noticed the Eye and grinned at her. "Oh. Fantastic!"

Crossing the Westminster Bridge was a little harder for Rose than she was used to. Even if she knew it already, she realised for the first time that her body, fit from years of running around with the Doctor first and then with Torchwood, hadn't traveled with her. She was back in her past body, with all her baby-fat – her mother's word, not hers – and not used to keeping such a rhythm. It would come back soon enough, but for now, she couldn't even answer the Doctor as he explained to her that he was planning to use Anti-plastic to destroy the Consciousness and also why it wanted the Earth.

"Think of it," he was telling her once they'd reached the other side. He let go of her hand, and hand-holding was so natural for them that she hadn't even really noticed when he'd grabbed hers. "Plastic all over the world, every artificial thing waiting to come alive." He wasn't even panting a little bit and Rose was really, really jealous. "The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables."

"The breast implants," she managed to gasp, because really, her little joke was funny, even if the Doctor was looking at her like she'd just grown a second head. _Spoilsport._

He cleared his throat and looked around. "Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath."

Rose immediately looked over the parapet where she knew the entrance was. "Over here," she called.

The Doctor opened the hatch and climbed down first. By the time she joined him, he was already waiting at the next door – a bit impatiently.

"The Nestene Consciousness. That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature," he told her, leaning over the rail to look at the yellow mass.

She put a hand on his leather-covered arm. "You've got to give it a chance, first," she said slowly. And okay, maybe it was cheating, because she knew the Doctor would be impressed by that, but years spent with him had made it an automatic response – which used to drive her team crazy back at Torchwood. Always give it a chance, although never a second one.

"That's what I'm planing to do," he told her before proceeding to do just that.

"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to convention fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation," he exclaimed.

"Audience granted," a voice buzzed in Rose's ear – similar to white noise – and she jumped. She hadn't understood the Consciousness the first time. But then she realised that the TARDIS was already translating for her. _Thanks girlfriend._ The hum rose in intensity before fading again.

"Thank you," the Doctor continued, oblivious to all that. "If I might have permission to approach?"

Looking around, Rose spotted Mickey, huddled on the floor and ran to him, not missing the Doctor's eye roll. "Mickey! You're okay, I've got you," she said, grabbing him under the arms to try and lift him from the floor.

"That thing down there, the liquid. Rose, it can talk!" he told her, completely terrified. A pang of sadness passed over Rose as she remembered the best friend she'd left back on Pete's World, so sure of himself and fearless. A true warrior if there ever was one, living – him too – by the Doctor's standard. A wave of comfort overwhelmed her and she shuddered. She'd made her choice. If things went like the first time, Mickey would become that man again. And even if he didn't, he would always be 'Mickey Smith, Defender of the Earth' in her eyes.

"So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?" the Doctor was saying when she turned back to him, and she bit back a giggle. So much for diplomacy!

"I am a refugee," the voice buzzed. "It is my constitutional right to live here!"

"Oh, don't give me that. It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights."

"I am..." the voice started again, only to be interrupted by the Doctor.

"I am talking!" he thundered. "This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go."

Rose saw two shop dummies approaching from behind and the yell was out of her mouth before she even realised it. "Doctor!"

Too late. The Autons grabbed him and one of them took the vial of Anti-plastic from his pocket.

"Treason!" the voice buzzed angrily.

"That was just insurance," the Doctor swore, trying to fight off the plastic dummy holding him in place. "I wasn't going to use it. I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy."

"Liar!"

"I swear, I'm not."

"Another weapon!" the voice buzzed.

"What do you mean?"

Knowing what was coming, Rose whipped her head around to look at the TARDIS. _You okay there, girlfriend?_ The ship hummed irritatedly and Rose smirked, knowing she didn't appreciate being manhandled by the Autons.

"No. Oh, no."

"Preparing an attack," the voice buzzed, angrily.

"Honestly, no."

"It is your ship, is it not?"

"Yes, that's my ship," the Doctor confirmed.

"It destroyed our world."

"That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war." He fought against the Auton holding him harder, but not to avail.

"Then you did it!" the voice accused.

"It wasn't my fault. I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!"

Then he turned toward Rose, shouting, "It's the TARDIS! The Nestene's identified its superior technology. It's terrified. It's going to the final phase. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Rose! Just leg it now!"

"Oh no you don't," Rose muttered, looking around her for the ax she knew was lying somewhere. Stupid Doctor, always trying to send her away to protect her. Always failing too.

_There._Grabbing the ax, she ran back toward the chain waiting for her. Ignoring the Doctor's shout to 'Leg it, Rose! Leg it now!' and Mickey's cries of 'We're going to die!', she chopped the rope holding the chain in place and muttered, "I passed my A Levels, became Commander of the Torchwood Institute and just got my future back. I'm not about to let anything destroy it, specially not a blurb! Here's to Jericho's bronze!"

She swung out along the side of the catwalk, kicking first the Auton holding the Doctor. That allowed him to throw the creature into the blurb and then the second one. He finished off by tipping the vial of Anti-plastic. The Nestene Consciousness screamed and turned blue.

"Rose!" the Doctor cried and grabbed her when she swung back and gave her a huge beaming smile. "Now we're in trouble."

They ran back to the TARDIS, ducking to avoid the explosions and grabbing Mickey as they left the scene, reappearing on the Embankment by a row of shuttered kiosks. Mickey immediately ran out and Rose watched, amused. The Doctor rolled his eyes and muttered about 'stupid apes'.

Slower, she went out of the TARDIS as well, dialling her phone to call her mum.

"Rose, Rose!" the high-pitched voice of her mum answered. "You'll never guess what just happened. I've decided to do a little bit of late night shopping and suddenly all the shop dummies collapsed onto themselves. Do you think it was something like a tiny earthquake?"

Rose smirked and hung up on her, satisfied to know that her mum was safe – as well as everyone else. She remembered her mum telling her of all the death the first time around, recalling how terrified she'd been that Rose had been out and had gotten hurt when she didn't made it back home that night, after warning her that she might be late. She'd cocked an eyebrow at the Doctor and he'd muttered something about timelines and calling a bit too early – the afternoon before they first met actually.

Noticing Mickey hiding behind a pallet, Rose went to him. "A fat lot of good you were," she told him good-naturedly, thinking once again of the man he would become.

"Nestene Consciousness?" the Doctor's voice said behind her, and she could hear his smirk. "Easy." He snapped his fingers.

"You were useless in there," Rose reminded him. "You'd be dead if it wasn't for me." It would do him good to have a reminder of that.

"Yes, I would," he admitted. "Thank you," he added, gracefully. "Right then, I'll be off." He hesitated just a fraction of second, but Rose saw it. "Unless, er, I don't know, you could come with me. This box isn't just a London hopper, you know. It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge."

She wanted to say yes! Immediately! 'Yes, Doctor, take me away! Become my best friend! I love you!' but the TARDIS hummed at the back of her head. _I know, Girlfriend! I know!_

"Don't!" Mickey immediately exclaimed. He was shaking and it was obvious he was terrified, but still, he tried to protect her, if not physically. "He's an alien. He's a thing."

The Doctor looked at him with distaste. "He's not invited. What do you think?" His voice turned enticing. "You could stay here, fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go anywhere."

_I know Doctor. I can't wait. _But still she answered, "I can't. I've got to find my mum and someone's got to look after this stupid lump. So..."

"Okay. See you around," the Doctor answered immediately. And it hurt. On so many levels. Primarily because she was watching the man she loved go, but also because the Doctor would normally do anything to keep her with him. Well, almost, he refused to tear the walls of reality for her, and she did too! No matter what she was thinking right now! It was a painful reminder that this man wasn't in love with her, yet. That he didn't knew her inside-out yet. That she was just another blundering ape to him and not the woman he burned a sun for. And then, there was the fact that he'd immediately agreed, like he wasn't expecting her to say yes, and not just because it would be complete madness to follow a strange man in a box, but also, because she knew that at this point in life, he was convinced he didn't deserve anything good in his life, not even a companion to travel with, not even someone to talk to. He was so lonely it broke her heart and again, as the TARDIS door closed, she bit back the urge to call for him, to tell him to wait, that she was coming, that he wasn't alone, not anymore, not for as long as she lived.

The TARDIS hummed sadly in her mind as she dematerialised.

Knowing she had but a couple of seconds before he came back – and he was coming back, no matter what her mind was screaming at her - she kneeled in front of Mickey, who immediately grabbed her.

"Mickey, listen to me, listen to me," she said urgently, as he babbled in her ear about aliens and voices in his head. "Mickey, you're my best friend, you know that right?" He nodded against her shoulder, taking a deep breath. "You're the very best of friend I could ask for and I love you, but I'm not in love with you." He pulled back to look at her, and she saw his eyes turn toward the space where the TARDIS had just disappeared. She ignored it. "I'm afraid I might end up hurting you if we continue like this and that's something I never ever want to do, do you understand?" She saw his eyes shine but he nodded again. "Oh Mickey!" She threw her arm around him. "I love you so much! We'll always be the best of friends, I promise! When the Doctor comes back, I'm leaving with him!" she told him. "I'll be gone for a long time, but I just want you to know that I'll be safe and happy, okay." He nodded dazedly. She gave him a brief peck on the lips and stroked his cheek. "Goodbye, Mickey Smith."

Then she stood up. "Come on, Doctor," she muttered. "Don't let me down!"

Briefly, she wondered if she should warn Mickey about her mum's reaction, realising how it would be unfair for him, but knew that it was useless. She knew Jackie wouldn't hear any of it, even if he did tell her she was safe and happy. She'd have to try and make sure to come back sooner though.

The sound of the universe resonated around her and Rose grinned, her tongue poking between her teeth. "You did it, Doctor!"

"By the way, did I mention it also travels in time?"

She ran to him without looking back.

* * *

**So what do you say? Worth it?**


	3. Of Christmas Spirit I

**Thanks for the reviews, guys!**

**Hope you'll like this double-chapter. It's one of the reason I wanted to write this story!**

**Beta'ed by the great hawkerin**

* * *

**Of Christmas Spirit (1/2)**

* * *

She'd said, 'No.' She'd said, 'I can't.' She'd said, 'I've got to find my mum.' She'd said, 'Someone's got to look after this stupid lump.' She'd said, 'So...'

He was turning around the TARDIS console, pulling a lever here, pushing a button there, sending her spinning into the vortex. _She'd said, 'no'._

Whatever, s'not like he wanted her here anyway. _But she'd said, 'No!'_

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he dropped on the seat by the console. He shouldn't have been surprised _that she'd said, 'No.'_ Besides, what should it matter to him that a stupid ape refused to go with him, really? He didn't need her, he didn't need anyone. Hadn't in a long time, and if a little voice at the back of his head was telling him that he didn't _deserve _anyone, well, he just ignored it.

Sighing heavily, he got up and turned toward the corridor, deciding to try and get some sleep. It had been so long since the last time he slept, he figured he had a good chance of simply passing out and not having any dreams. He really _hoped_ he wouldn't have any dreams. Ever since he'd used the Moment, his dreams had been plagued by nightmares of the War. Haunted by the madness in which his people had descended and the folly of their wish to ascend as creatures of consciousness alone. And when he didn't dream of his people, he dreamt of the Skaro Degradations, the Horde of Travesties, the Nightmare Child, and the Could-Have-Been King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-Weres, all charging toward the Citadel. Grotesque figures moving like a swarm, ready to devour anything in their path... And when he didn't dream of them, he dreamt of all the innocent victims of the War – before and after he used the Moment. All the planets he couldn't save because he had stayed away for so long. He was so fearful of facing the truth of his world and what he knew he would have to do once he returned. He dreamt of all the children of Gallifrey that he'd condemned when he'd seen the end of one of the greatest civilisations the Universe had ever known, and of his own children. He'd loved them fiercely, but ultimately sacrificed them on the altar of the Greater Good by choosing the wellbeing of the universe, of all the civilisations the Time Lords had once sworn to protect, over his home planet.

Trudging slowly through the corridor, he tried to stop thinking about it. It would do him no good to be reminded of all that when he was about to try to sleep a dreamless sleep. He turned his thoughts back toward her, the little shop girl who'd saved his life and then refused to continue to do so. Not that it mattered to him. Nope! Absolutely not! He didn't need anyone, certainly not a stupid ape, not even to lift the loneliness he lived his life with nowadays. Try and catch him inviting someone again!

Finally reaching the door of his bedroom, he ran his finger over the High Gallifreyan writings adorning thepainted wood. He thought about all the circles that only he could read anymore, and another wave of despair overwhelmed him. Only to be completely forgotten when he opened his door.

"What the hell?!"

His bedroom. His neat, slick, spartan bedroom. It had been all dark wood like his wardrobe, and black metal like his bed and bedside tables, contrasting smoothly with the cream wall. Now, it was pink and yellow. Pink and yellow. Pink! And! Yellow!

Two of the walls were a pale pink with a yellow border, while the other two were a pale yellow with a pink border. His usually black comforter was a bright neon pink with bright neon yellow pillows. The carpet was a soft yellow with pink spirals, and what little roof he had around the dome showing him the long since burned sky of his world, was pink with yellow spirals.

"What do I look like to you?!" he yelled at the TARDIS, outraged. "A nine year old schoolgirl with pigtails!?"

The TARDIS hummed merrily at the back of his head and he got the feeling that she was mocking him.

"You stop that now!" he ordered sternly. "You turn my room back the way it was! Immediately, Old Girl!"

The TARDIS continued to hum joyfully, and buzzed negatively at the back of his mind.

"Oh come on!" he yelled. "What's wrong with you?! Turn it back! Turn it back right now!"

When nothing changed, he huffed and slammed the door angrily, opening it just to slam it again.

All thoughts of tiredness left his mind. All thoughts of his past and his actions, gone, drowned in the growing outrage he felt toward the TARDIS, who had done unmentionable things to his bedroom. What the hell was wrong with her? He thought as he stalked back toward the console room, stomping like a child, quite furious with her.

As he was passing the kitchen, the nearest room to the console this time, the rotors came to life and he heard the TARDIS set herself in motion on her own, spiralling out of the vortex. "What are you DOING?!" he yelled, running toward the console room. What was wrong with the TARDIS? She'd never acted out like that. Reaching the console, he stroked the rotor. "Did they do something to you, Old Girl?"

Ignoring her negative hum at the back of his head, he pondered this idea. Could it be possible? Did something happen while the girl – Rose – and he were busy with the Nestene? Could something _have_ happened? Were the Autons advanced enough to understand this technology? Well, he'd seen that Auton version of the kid, her _boyfriend_ – Ricky. His name was Ricky, right? – and he'd been quite life-like, if maybe a little glossy. So, could the shop dummies have the same level of consciousness? Maybe... But they couldn't have accessed the inside of the TARDIS! They just couldn't have!

He dropped to the floor, ready to crawl under the console to check her out. "Did you bump into something? When they were manhandling you?" He reached out to touch a bit of cable hanging and the TARDIS shocked him. Drawing his hand back quickly, he glared at the console. "Would you stop that? I'm trying to check you out!" He reached out again, only to withdraw even faster when she sent him warning sparks, buzzing angrily. "Fine, be that way! See if I ever try to repair you again!" he grumbled, getting up from the floor and dusting off his pants. He glared at the console again and got the feeling that if she could, she would glare back. Then crossed his arms over his torso.

"Well, now what?" he asked petulantly.

He felt the TARDIS land smoothly, and a warm nudge at the back of his head told him exactly what she wanted. _Well, go on then._

"Nope!" he grumbled. "You don't get to traumatize me, do me bodily harm, and then send me on my merry way!"

The TARDIS hum turned urgent, but he shook his head. "Not going anywhere. Not until I know what's wrong with you. You've become strange ever since I..." He staggered a bit before looking around him. What was he saying again?

Shaking his head, he frowned, something was wrong with his time-line. He could feel it. The TARDIS too was getting worried. What was going on?

Wracking his brain, he thought back to the last things he'd done. The Autons. The Nestene Consciousness. In London. He'd blown a shop and managed to snatch one of the remote-controlled dummies' heads to follow its signal to Westminster. Once he'd brilliantly deduced that the London Eye was the transmitter, he'd confronted the Consciousness and ended up forced to destroy it. Sure, things had been a bit dodgy for a while, until by a show of pure strength he'd managed to throw the Auton holding him back over his shoulder and into the vat. He'd then managed to push the other Auton – the one holding his vial of Anti-plastic into the vat as well. Then he'd legged it out of there and then...then...then _she'd said, 'No.'_

He shook his head again, watching his time-line rearrange itself to include Rose again and frowned. He'd forgotten her, for an instant. No, he hadn't forgotten her, she'd disappeared. As if she'd never existed. Oh! That wasn't good at all!

The TARDIS hummed urgently at the back of his head again and this time, he got the message. Someone was messing with Rose's past. "Is that why you brought me here, you brilliant girl?" he asked. "Clearly, I would have managed on my own no matter what." The TARDIS hum turned irritated and he chuckled. "Alright, I got it! I got it! I'm going!" He stroked the console. "You liked her too, huh?" he asked his ship. "She could have been _fantastic! _But, Old Girl, she said, 'No.' Ah, doesn't matter. She saved my life, the least I can do is return the favour."

And with that, he went to the door and opened it to find another door. Looking around him, he noticed he was in a janitor closet and he quickly sonicked the door and walked out, only to almost fall as he noticed a girl laying just where he was about to put his foot. Stepping over her, he stumbled a little and turned back to look at her.

"What are you doing here?!" Because really, it was no place to lounge.

"I fell," the girl answered, glaring at the ceiling.

"Well, what did you do that for?"

She turned her glare on him. "I didn't do it on purpose, ya know!"

"Oh. Alright then." He held his hand out to her, barely waiting until she grabbed it to pull her to her feet.

Bemused, he watched this tiny little human – with brown hair with blonde highlights, big doe eyes, and big front teeth – crane her neck to try and look at her bum. "What are you doing?"

"Am I dirty?" she asked, turning around.

Sweeping his eyes over her back, noticing that her shirt was a bit wet, from the pooled water he could now see on the floor, he nodded. "Little bit, yeah."

"Brilliant!" she muttered.

"Not too bad," he told her.

"Still," she sighed.

"So..." he began, when she didn't add anything else, "Wanna tell me why you decided to take a swan dive in... Where are we anyway?"

The girl gave him an odd look but shrugged and answered anyway, "Queens Mall."

"Oh, okay. Queens Mall. Little girl on the floor. What happened?"

"I'm not a little girl," she muttered petulantly, and really, sounding even more childish.

He rolled his eyes. "Little big girl, then."

She blushed and dropped her head, hiding behind her hair. "You're gonna think I'm stupid."

He shook his head empathically, even if she couldn't tell. "Not me. Never."

"I was following this huge bug..."

"A bug?" he asked, interested. "What kind of bug?"

She shrugged. "Not sure. Some kind of beetle. But huge!" She spread her arms, leaving a baby-sized spot between them.

"Huge bug! Nice!" He grinned, and she smiled back a little. "So, you were running after it and then you fell?"

Her blush deepened, turning her face crimson. "Not exactly, no."

"Well, tell me what happened exactly then." She glanced at him and he got the feeling she didn't really wanted to tell him so he grinned. "I'm sure it's an awesome story."

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" she asked hopefully.

_I've got no one to tell it to,_ he thought, before drawing a cross over his heart. "Cross my heart and all that."

"Promise you won't laugh either?"

He nodded seriously.

She stared at him, gauging his sincerity, before smiling a little. "So I was running after it, yeah? And it turned into this corridor so I followed. It ran straight toward the wall, and I thought maybe it was going to crash into it and knock itself out."

"Bugs can climb," he said, starting to see where this story was going.

She nodded. "I'd forgotten. So it climbed up the wall, and then it screeched and jumped at me! I turned around to run away but I felt it touch my hair and I was so busy shaking my head to get it off, that I didn't see the water and slipped and fell," she muttered, her cheeks turning crimson again.

"Must have been frightening," he said and when she nodded seriously, he had to bite the inside of his cheek because really, it was a bit funny. He frowned then, trying to piece everything together.

_A bug. A beetle. _"What was its size again?" he asked, and she opened her arm wide enough to comfortably fit a baby in between. _A huge beetle. An impossibly huge beetle. _He approached the wall and sonicked it to see if the bug had left some trace, bodily fluids or others, but got nothing, just a few fluctuations in the air. _Screeching. Jumping on people._ He noticed she kept touching her hair and craning her neck and realised she hadn't just asked him to check if she was dirty, she'd actually asked him if there was something on her back. _Jumping on people's backs._

And that left only one option. The time beetle of the Trickster's Brigade! All of sudden, he was both impressed by and worried for the girl. Impressed because not everyone could see those disgusting bugs, which meant the girl was really perceptive, and even more impressed because very few would have the guts to actually try and catch it! Then, he was worried because the bugs couldn't be touched, and if that one had fled like that, it could only mean one thing, it was luring her in.

But why? Why? Time beetles were usually harmless to humans, a way for the Brigade to play petty tricks since the universe compensated easily for the changes it made. They went after anyone, really, anyone unlucky enough to cross their path when they decided to have some fun. But it wasn't like that for this kid, was it? From what she'd told him, she had been chosen, specifically chosen by the bug. But why? What made her so important?

"What did you say your name was again?" he asked her. He watched her open her mouth to answer, but before any sound could get out, he saw something black speed along the wall from the corner of his eye. He instinctively grabbed the girl and turned around, folding himself around her to protect her smaller form. He felt the bug land heavily on his back, trying to find a grip on his leather jacket, and he slammed himself against the wall in hope of crushing it. He knew immediately that it was to no avail, the bug was gone.

Searching frantically for it, he grabbed the girl – who was watching him with horror – and pulled her closer. The bug really wanted her. It was quite impressive and more than a little worrying because for the Brigade to be so fixated on her, it had to mean she was important. Or would be. So very important. Maybe even for the future of mankind.

"Your name?" he asked again, already wracking his brain for renowned women of the twenty-first century.

"Rose," she said shakily. "Rose Tyler."

* * *

**So yeah. It was getting a bit long, so I thought it'd be a nice place to stop. What do you say?**


	4. Of Christmas Spirit II

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! **

**So here's the second part of it! Hope you'll like it!**

**Beta'ed by the great hawkerin**

* * *

**Of Christmas Spirit (2/2)**

* * *

"Rose. Rose Tyler."

_Oh. _And then. _Of course._ And then. _Seriously?!_

"It had to be you, huh," he muttered under his breath, still looking everywhere for the time beetle. Luckily, the pneumatic fire-proof doors leading to the public part of the mall were closed, so there was no risk of it escaping and disappearing to attack her again later. "A huge disgusting bug no one else seems to notice, what's a little girl to do? Try and catch it, of course!"

She stared at him like he'd grown a second head and he rolled his eyes, pulling her into his side to protect her. He heard the beetle pincers click on the ceiling above them and he pulled his screwdriver out of his pocket and pointed it at it. If he aimed right, he could put it out of its state of flux, making it essentially corporeal so he could take it out. Unfortunately, by the time he got his screwdriver out, the beetle had disappeared again. _Hmm, so it has some kind of preservation instinct..._

"What does it want?" Rose asked him, a little panicked.

"You, Rose," he answered honestly. "It wants you."

"Me?" she asked, stunned. "But why? Because I tried to catch it?"

"You didn't catch sight of it by chance, it wanted you to chase it," he explained her, still looking everywhere for the forsaken bug trying to change history. _His_ history!

"But, I'm no one. Nothing special," she denied.

"Oh no," he corrected her empathically. "You, Rose Tyler, are one of a kind."

"But I'm not. I'm just an estate kid." He frowned at that. Was living on the estate so bad? Before he could ponder that, or simply ask her, he heard the beetle pincer click again. He looked around, trying to pull Rose even closer, and grabbed his sonic screwdriver tighter, ready to use it at a moment's notice. He caught a black shape out of the corner of his eye, and he pointed his screwdriver and activated it, hitting the bug on the head.

The bug screeched and fell on its back to the floor. He grinned triumphantly. "Alright!" he exclaimed. "Now, what do we do with a bug?" he asked Rose. "Other than catch it?" he added, smirking. She shrugged. "We smash it."

Keeping his eyes on the bug, he opened the janitor closet and blindly searched for something to use for the next part of his fantastic plan. The TARDIS hummed merrily at the back of his head. _Having fun, are you_? He thought. Closing his fingers around a cylindrical shape, he grinned and pulled it out, staring at the broom he'd found. Not the best weapon he ever had. The TARDIS hum grew stronger and he got the feeling she was mocking him. _Stop it! _And then Rose giggled. _Seriously?!_ _If you girls don't like it, just deal with it yourselves!_

He had turned his eyes away for one second. Just one second, to look at the giggling girl next to him, but it was all it took for the beetle to disappear again. _You've got to be kidding me! _

"It's gone again!" Rose told him, futilely. And he sighed with frustration. This bug was starting to irritate him. It had some preservation instinct, but still the brain of a bug, so how did it manage to escape him, he had no idea.

There had to be a way to nail it for sure, because he had a feeling that as long as he was around the bug would..._Oh no. I wouldn't dare..._ He looked down at Rose. She was a brave woman and an even braver kid, so he was sure she would agree. And he'd be there, he rationalized, he'd get it at the first opportunity. And it was just a bug, it wouldn't smell the trap, or not until it was too late.

"Rose," he therefore said, "if we don't speed things up, we'll be there all day, so here's what we're going to do," he started, before leaning down to whisper the rest in her ear, just in case.

He watched as she frowned and bit her lip, considering his plan before finally nodding briskly, a determined glint in her eyes. "Fantastic!" He grinned. "Ready?"

She nodded and he stepped back, smiling encouragingly at her. She watched him walk away, breathing deeply, and tying her hair up nervously. He walked toward the pneumatic doors and turned toward her just a few steps shy of the door. Calmly, he watched her attentively, his grip around the broom firm.

He saw a dark shape appear on the wall behind her and wondered briefly where the hell it was coming from before breathing one word to Rose, just one: "Run!"

With a squeal she dashed toward him, the bug hot on her heels. He grabbed the broom firmly, preparing himself to hit, as soon as Rose was safe behind him.

He expected her to run around him and hide behind his back, so he was more than surprised when – just as she was about to reach him – she fell to the floor, sliding between his legs. _Oh. Fantastic!_ The bug had jumped, trying to land on her back and he caught it in the air, smashing it with the broom, sending it flying into the wall, screeching, where it crashed with a sickening crack._ Home run!_

He dropped the broom, and turned around to help Rose to her feet. "Fantastic. You were fantastic, Rose!" He grinned and she smiled hesitantly back. "Just fantastic," he repeated, because he could tell she was doubting him.

"I didn't do nothing," she muttered, embarrassed.

"Not everyone would be brave enough to play bait," he told her gently, putting one knee to the floor to get to eye-level with her. _Nor to swing down a chain to kick plastic dummies intent on conquering the world_, he thought and the TARDIS hummed approvingly at the back of his head.

He turned back to the dead bug just in time to see it vanish into thin air. Good. At least the brigade cleaned after themselves!

"Tell you what!" he said, clapping his hand before rubbing them gleefully, dragging her attention away from where she was staring at the spot where the bug had been. "I think we deserve a nice treat for a job well done, don't you?"

"Where did it go?" she asked, fascinated.

She already knew too much, it might change her timeline, so he shrugged. "Dunno. But I know for sure it's gone. We got it for good! Good job us! I'm thinking banana milkshake. What do you say?" he asked.

She wrinkled her nose. "Bananas are good!" he exclaimed, horrified that she might not like them. Pears on the other hand...

"I'm not saying they're not!" she told him, clearly soothing his ruffled feathers. "It's not just my favourite."

"Well, what is, then?" he asked, a bit more grumpily than he really felt, and she giggled at his antics.

"Chocolate."

"I suppose." He sighed, a heavy sigh, as if this concession pained him a lot. "Chocolate's good in a pinch! So banana for me and chocolate for you. My treat," he told her, holding his hand out. It was a reflex for him, just as it'd been with the older Rose. Almost natural. "What do you say? Would you accompany me for a drink in this lovely place? Not this corridor, mind, I'm talking about the mall at large."

She giggled again and grabbed his hand.

Without hesitation.

* * *

"So tell me," he began once they were seated in the food court. They had stopped at an ATM, where he used his sonic to get some money. ("No, really Rose. You just stay right there. No need to walk up to the ATM with me.") Now, they were waiting for a waitress to bring them their order – a banana milkshake for him and a chocolate one with a cherry on top for her. "What did you want to do with that huge disgusting bug?" he asked.

She blushed so hard even her ears were red. "Nothing," she muttered. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Oh, go on, you can tell me!" he insisted, because he was really curious and hoping to maybe see what had gone through older Rose's head as well. "After all we've been through, together!" he exclaimed, raising his hands up in the air. She giggled and relaxed a little. "You can tell me," he repeated, in a softer voice, and then, remembering what she'd made him promise before, he added, "I won't tell anyone, nor laugh. I promise."

She took a deep breath and muttered something in a voice so low that even with his superior Time Lord hearing, he couldn't make out her words over the noises of the food court. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." She glared at him, but he honestly hadn't. She took another deep breath. "I said I was hoping to maybe sell it."

"You were hopin' to do what now?" he asked, because really, he must have heard wrong. It wasn't coming down to money, right?

She glared at him. "Sell. It," she repeated, and he could tell he had offended her.

"Why?" he asked, bemused. "And more importantly, to whom?"

She shrugged. "There's this kid on the estate. He absolutely love bugs. Collects them and everything. I thought..." she interrupted herself and sighed. "And why? Look around you, it's Christmas."

He nodded. "Yeah, I'd noticed. So?"

She glared again. "So my mum got no money to buy us a christmas dinner. She works all around the estate, but we got a lot of bills this month." She bit her lips. "I can hear her cry at night," she told him sadly.

"Oh." _Oh. _"I'm sorry I asked," he told her sincerely. It made a lot of sense, really. _Poor kid._ And the TARDIS hummed her agreement sadly.

She shrugged. "S'life."

An awkward silence blanketed them and he welcomed the distraction that was the waitress bringing them their drink. He grabbed his glass and downed almost half of it in one go, before smacking his lips with appreciation. "Ah, that's life!" he sighed, and she giggled. "How's yours?"

She took a much smaller sip and licked her chocolate mustache before nodding. "S'good."

He grinned, and slowly, shyly, she returned his smile.

"So tell me," he asked her, desperately looking for another – lighter – subject. "What do you want to do when you're grown up?"

She shrugged. "I'll probably work in a shop or a chippy somewhere."

He shook his head. "I didn't ask what you thought you'd do. And really, you can do so much better than that. I'm asking you what you'd like to do."

She smiled shyly. "I'd like to travel," she admitted. "See the world. Go anywhere. Everywhere!"

_Then why did you say, 'no'?_

"Really?" he asked, and when she nodded he pushed. "Anywhere?" She nodded again. "So, if you won a trip anywhere you want in the world, you would say, 'yes?'"

She looked at him like he was dumb. "Of course!"

"Are there any reasons that might make you refuse?" He pressed. She shrugged. "I mean, I'm thinking about... I know this girl, you see," he told her, because he was sincerely quite curious. "I offered her to travel with me, anywhere she wants. And she said, 'no.' So I was wondering..."

Rose pursed her lips, considering. "She's a friend of yours?"

He shrugged. "I hoped she would become a friend."

"But you weren't friends when you offered?" she asked, before sipping her milkshake.

He turned his glass in his hand. "No. But we went through something big together, so I was thinking the groundwork was done."

"Maybe she thought you weren't serious? Or were just being nice?"

He pursed his lips, trying to remember if she'd showed any sign of doubting his sincerity. He couldn't recall any. In fact, he'd actually thought she was yearning for his offer. "I don't think so."

"But you can't tell for sure," she pointed out. "Maybe she thought you really didn't want her."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want her to come with me." He sipped his milkshake slowly, watching her think about it.

"Maybe you took her by surprise," she then said, staring at him. "Maybe she answered without thinking about it, and she's now regretting it."

_Could it be? _He thought hopefully. If so, it'd be great. She'd travel with him and he wouldn't have to be alone anymore. He could show her so many things, take her to so many places. But it would mean going back to offer her once more. He never did that. Never gave second chances. Never looked back. But maybe...just maybe...he could make an exception for her. The TARDIS hummed encouragingly at the back of his head. _You're very nosy today, you know._

"Maybe," he said, when he noticed Rose staring at him. "Tell me though, what could ever make YOU refuse to travel?"

"Other than the fact I don't have the money for it?" she asked bitterly, grabbing her glass.

"Let's say the money is no problem." Because it wouldn't be. He didn't have any, easy.

He watched her consider his question, sipping her milkshake thoughtfully. "I guess," she said slowly. "I guess my biggest fear would be losing my home."

"How do you mean?" he asked, interested.

"Ya know," she said, frowning, searching for the right words. "If you travel too far, or for too long, you might forget where home is. Get so used to be on the move that you couldn't settle down anymore, couldn't go back home for fear of being stuck there again. Or you might be so busy admiring what the world has to offer that you'd end up forgetting what the world gave you... Because home is the most important thing in the world, innit? The one place you can always return to. And if you forget where that is..."

He considered her little speech, a little impressed by it. She was a clever kid! It'd shown in Rose as well, who was brilliant, and he briefly wondered why she was wasting her time working in a shop.

"But you do know what they say, don't you?" he asked her, smiling. "Home is where the heart is. So you'd never have to fear forgetting about it."

She considered him for a long time, her expression quite unreadable for a child her age, before nodding and smiling softly. "You're right."

He grinned and was about to add something else when a wave of...something...overwhelmed him. Something was wrong! Something was very wrong around him. He felt uncomfortable, disgusted. Time was distorted in the worst way possible. The TARDIS hum turned a bit...sick, for lack of better word, like she had some sort of indigestion. She was feeling what he was feeling and she didn't liked it one bit. He looked all around him, trying to pinpoint the origin of the feeling, looking at the timelines of people surrounding him, carefully avoiding watching Rose's, but as quickly as the feeling had appeared, it disappeared again, allowing him to breathe easily once more.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked him with concern. Frowning, he nodded. What was that? What had just happened? Was something else around? After Rose, again? It was highly doubtful. But still. The feeling was gone though, so he decided to let it slide. She'd had an eventful enough afternoon already. "Tell you what," he therefore said, draining his glass of the last drop of milkshake – for he'd never let any banana milkshake go to waste – "how about you finish your milkshake and I'll drop you home?" She considered him carefully and he grinned at her.

Finally, she nodded and drank her milkshake.

* * *

As they walked back toward the corridor where he'd first found her, they had to thread through throngs of people doing their last-minute Christmas shopping. Rose followed him, lost in her thoughts. She seemed to trust him to guide her as they passed a Santa, listening to children's wishes and taking pictures with them.

"So, what did you ask for this Christmas?" he asked her, grinning as he watched a disgruntled elf drag a crying child back to his parents.

"Hmm?" she asked, startled from her thoughts.

"I was wondering what you asked Santa to give you for Christmas?" he repeated.

She squinted her eyes, looking at him. "You do know Santa doesn't exist, right?" she asked him, a bit condescendingly. "Nor does the Easter Bunny." He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. He'd walked right into that one. And then her smirk disappeared. "And I asked for nothing. Don't want to make mum even sadder when she can't afford it."

_Oh._ "Oh. Is there anything you'd like though?" he asked, curiously. When she'd told him about her plan to sell the beetle, she'd said the money would be to help her mother. She hadn't mentioned buying herself anything.

"What's the point of talking about it?" She sighed.

"You never know. Maybe Santa _does_ exist and maybe he's listening right now."

"Somehow, I really doubt it!"

Stubborn little thing. "Humour me!" he told her.

She sighed again. "I'd like a bike," she finally admitted. "Every kid on the estate has one. Go to school with it and all. Mickey," – _so she already knew Ricky!_ – "and I are the only ones who don't have one, and I know for sure he's going to get one for Christmas. His gran bought him one. I went with her to help her choose it. So when we start school again, I'll be the only one who don't. And sure, maybe Mickey will give me lifts, but I'd like to have one I can call my own, you know?"

He nodded. Because he knew what it was like to want a means of transport of his own. He'd stolen his, after all. Good thing she wasn't inspired to do the same...

While they were talking, they reached the pneumatic doors leading back to the corridor where they'd met, and Rose frowned. "What are we doing here? Shouldn't we be heading for the parking lot?"

He sighed sadly, hating what he was about to do, but he had no choice. He couldn't take the risk she remembered something when they met again. It might change history.

"I'm sorry, Rose," he therefore told her. "I wish there was another way, but I can't let you remember all that happened this afternoon."

She took a step back, eyeing him warily. "What are you talking about?"

"I won't hurt you!" he told her soothingly, noticing the spark of fear in her eyes. "I would never hurt you. You, Rose Tyler, are fantastic!"

He stepped closer, blocking her against the door with his body and kneeled down. "It won't hurt. I promise."

"What?" she asked him, shakily. "What won't hurt?"

He placed his fingers on her temples, breathing deeply to establish the connection. "I'll just make you forget what happened."

"Please, don't!" she begged him, trying to shake him off. He gritted his teeth, focusing on the immediate memory area of her brain, trying to ignore his grief and anger at being forced to do that. Immediate memories were the easiest to access, and he found them immediately. Establishing the connection, he felt her relax and stop moving, as she retreated into her mind, trying to protect it. It was a preservation instinct in every child when mentally assaulted. He felt the weak shields everyone of them could build. Only children had enough imagination to do it. But he ignored them, they were nothing to a full fledged telepath like him and he wasn't there to hurt her. Focusing on the area he had accessed, he sifted through her memories of the whole afternoon, returning to the beginning, the instant she noticed the beetle for the first time and discovered he couldn't erase them. He didn't have the heart to do so. So instead, he decided to place a perception filter on them. She'd still have her memories but she'd never notice them, and wouldn't be able to summon them up. He worked slowly, carefully, soothingly stroking her mind with his, comforting her. Once he was done, he retreated slowly, careful not to disturb anything. He opened his eyes just in time to catch her as she collapsed, unconscious as her memories shifted in her mind, reorganizing themselves.

Lifting her up easily, he returned to the TARDIS, who hummed comfortingly at the back of his head. Rose would be out for fifteen to thirty minutes, so he could drop her at her house. Carefully laying her down on the seats in the console room, he entered the day and time, before adding the location. The TARDIS dematerialized as quietly as possible and landed as smoothly as possible. He almost didn't have to hold her in place. Poking his head out, he made sure he was at the right place at the right time, just in front of her estate. Lifting her carefully, he quickly exited the TARDIS, walking briskly toward her building, hoping silently no one would notice him and start to ask questions. Once he reached the door, he climbed the steps leading to her flat, careful not to shake her too much, and slowed down once he reached her door. Pulling out his screwdriver, he scanned the inside of the flat, using something like a radar to check if her mum was there. It'd be complicated if she were, for he had no idea how he would explain carrying her sleeping daughter. Luckily, the scan was negative, and he quickly sonicked the door, stepping inside the flat and closing the door behind him.

Just as it would be some six years later, the first door on his right led to her mum's bedroom, so he tried the second, assuming that it was Rose's room. He was correct. Feeling like he just stepped in a pink psychedelic pool, he put her down on her bed. He removed her shoes, before pushing her hair back and grinning. Patting her head, he left, closing her bedroom door. He stepped into the living room and looked around, hoping they wouldn't make any big redecorations in six years. He quickly found what he was looking for, a stack of envelopes. He'd noticed some when he'd snooped around her flat while she made tea earlier in his day in exactly the same spot.

Grabbing one, he looked for a pen and quickly scribbled a brief message on it: _For Christmas dinner, Santa._ He slipped what money he had left – a £50 note – in it. Closing the envelope, he stepped out of the house, sonicked the door locked, and put the envelope in the mail box. He left a bit of the envelope sticking out of it so that Rose's mum would notice it. Hopefully, she'd think she had a generous neighbour who preferred to remain anonymous.

Whistling to himself, he left the estate, returning to the TARDIS. He still had something to do.

* * *

Later that night, he discreetly returned to the estate. Poking his head out of the TARDIS door, he checked his surroundings. Useless move since everyone was celebrating Christmas. Grinning, he stepped out of the TARDIS, towing a bicycle behind him.

He'd returned to the mall immediately, walked to the same ATM he'd sonicked before but had pulled money from his own account, the one he'd created when he'd worked for UNIT in the seventies. He knew that would put them on alert, but he'd be long gone by the time they came looking for him. He wanted the money to mean something for this present. From him to her. Not from some unlucky chap to her. Not this time. Not even if she'd never know it was from him.

Once he got his money, he went looking for a bike shop. After asking around, he was directed in the right direction and was soon looking at dozens of bicycles, trying to choose one. He waved a salesman away and walked around, checking the bikes out until one caught his eye.

It was a red, shiny bicycle, with curved handle bars and a rack above the front wheel. The seat and the handle bars were leather and the back was made from stainless steel. It was quite a light bike. Perfect for a girl. It wouldn't be good for a very long distance, but since she mentioned going from and to school with it, he figured it was good enough. Once satisfied with his choice, which was complimented by the salesman, he paid for it and took it back to the TARDIS. She hummed approvingly at the back of his head.

He'd then set the coordinates of the TARDIS for that night and now here he was, towing the bicycle toward the estate. Lifting it up the stairs, he reached Rose's flat with no trouble. Keeping to the shadows, he watched Rose and her mother dine of a turkey, laughing, with paper crowns on their head. So they'd found the money. He nodded approvingly, eyeing the feast set on the table. Pulling a chain from his pocket, he tied the bicycle to the rail of the porch, dropping the key in the mail slot. Dangling from one of the handle bars, another message, on a TARDIS blue paper, said just two words:

_Love, Santa._

* * *

Once all his business was done for the day, he returned to the TARDIS, sending her spinning in the time vortex. With that done, he dropped on the seat by the console, rubbing his face. The TARDIS hummed comfortingly at the back of his mind.

Despite himself, he thought back to what Rose had told him during the afternoon.

_Maybe you took her by surprise. Maybe she answered without thinking about it, and she's now regretting it._

Could it be? Could it really be that? Was there a chance she'd accept if he asked again?

He was so tired of being alone. So, so tired! The weight of his loneliness, the silence in the TARDIS, the silence in his mind...it was choking him. He couldn't bear it anymore. He wanted someone, anyone, beside him, so that he wouldn't have to feel alone anymore.

No. Not just anyone. He wanted her. The brilliant, stubborn woman who'd faced Autons for him instead of running away. The brilliant, stubborn woman who'd asked good questions and noticed things he hadn't seen. The brilliant, stubborn woman who'd trusted him with no hesitation when she was a child. The brilliant, stubborn woman who wanted to see the universe but was scared of losing her home.

Making up his mind, and acting quickly before he could talk himself out of it, he sent the TARDIS back to her, just after she'd said no, with a few seconds of leeway. He bounded down the ramp, took a deep breath, and poked his head out of the TARDIS.

His eyes immediately found her, standing up from the ground where she had crouched in front of Ricky, and he could have sworn that her eyes lit up. That's what gave him the courage to ask a second time for the very first time in his life.

"By the way, did I mention it also travels in time?"

* * *

**There you go! Worth the wait? Please do tell me what you thought of this little interlude. I'm thinking of writing some more throughout the story. Should I?**


	5. The End of the World I

**Here we go, thanks for the reviews guys!**

**Beta'ed by the great hawkerin!**

**That's a huge chapter, reaching a staggering 10378 words, so I'm breaking it in two! Enjoy this first part!**

* * *

**The End of the World (1/2)**

* * *

Rose bounded inside the TARDIS. _Hello again, Girlfriend!_ She thought, climbing up the ramp. The TARDIS hummed joyfully at the back of her head and she grinned, her tongue poking out between her teeth. The Doctor watched her join him near the console with a smile before clapping his hands.

"Right then, Rose Tyler, you tell me." He grinned. "Where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time. It's your choice. What's it going to be?"

She briefly hesitated, she wanted to try and talk about the War, thinking of the perfect opportunity the Nestene Consciousness had unknowingly given her, but she didn't need the TARDIS' warning hum at the back of her head to tell her that it'd be way too soon. He'd be more likely to throw her on her arse at this point in time than answer her. Still it hurt, and she reminded herself that in the future she'd have to make a conscious effort to remember that although he was still the man she loved, she wasn't the woman he loved... yet. No matter how hard she wished for it. She was so used to being the one he trusted the most, the one who gave him strength, the one he loved. But he didn't know her, not yet. Biting her lips, she pushed those thoughts at the back of her head, along with the comforting hum of the TARDIS and grinned back.

"Forwards," she told him.

"How far?" he asked her, still grinning. He was so enjoying this!

She shrugged, deciding to play his game. "One hundred years."

He rolled a wheel and pulled a lever and she felt a little shock under her feet. "There you go," the Doctor told her, smirking. "Step outside those doors, it's the twenty second century."

While he talked to her, she cocked an eyebrow because really, how come the trips had been so smooth so far? She was so used to being thrown around the console. _Is that your doing, Girlfriend?_ She asked the TARDIS who hummed merrily at the back of her head. _You could always travel so smoothly?_ The TARDIS hummed non-committally, sending her a picture of several people around her console. _Or at least more smoothly than what we're used to?_ The hummed turned approving. _Then how come you throw us around like that? _Images of the Doctor manhandling her appeared in her mind, visions of past and future, and her heart squeezed painfully in her chest when she saw her second Doctor, kicking levers with his feet, hitting her with a small mallet, using a bit of string to drive her. The TARDIS hum turned a bit disgruntled at the back of her head.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" Rose exclaimed. _Are you telling me that you do that on purpose? _The TARDIS hummed non-committally again at the back of her head and send her a string of pictures and emotions that made her message really clear. _Sometimes. Little bit. Short hops are easier._

The Doctor grinned, misunderstanding her reaction. "That's a bit boring, though. Do you want to go further?"

She shook her head, smirking, making a mental note to find this mallet and hide it before answering him. "Fine by me."

The Doctor gave her his little show again, rolling the wheel, pumping the console, turning the compass.

"Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire."

Rose smirked. That Doctor and his attitude! "You think you're so impressive."

"I am so impressive!" he exclaimed, a bit insulted.

She sniggered. Oh, how she'd missed this playful banter between them. "You wish!"

The Doctor took the bait. "Right then," he pointed at her. "You asked for it. I know exactly where to go. Hold on!"

The trip was just a smidge rougher this time as the TARDIS zoomed down the time vortex, but it landed smoothly once more. _I want the landings to be like that all the time, __Girlfriend__! _Rose thought and the TARDIS hummed merrily at the back of her head. Rose just knew she would be giggling if she could.

"Where are we?" she asked, not even having to try that hard to seem excited. She had decided to try and change things around, and the first of those changes would be not to get locked up on an observation deck. "What's out there?" The Doctor held his hand out in invitation, and she bounded down the ramp.

She was down the stairs by the time he joined her and she heard him sonic what she assumed to be a control panel since the shutter descended to reveal the Earth. Rose's breath caught in her throat. No matter how many times she saw this, it was still a vision of beauty.

"You lot," the Doctor said softly, coming to stand next to her. "You spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day."

From the corner of her eyes, she saw him check his watch. "Hold on."

Once more, she watched the sun flare and turn red.

"This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."

Suddenly she realised what this was all about. She hadn't noticed the first time around because she didn't have all the information necessary to understand what it truly meant. She was sure the Doctor didn't even consciously realise why he'd chosen this place to be the first one he showed her, but it was horrifyingly clear to her. He had taken her to the end of her world. She was 'forced' to helplessly watch as her planet burned just as the Doctor had to watch his. She remembered asking him the first time around if they were here to save it, and him telling her 'no', rendering her unable to prevent it just as he'd been unable to prevent the fall of Gallifrey. It didn't matter that her planet had run its course while his had been lost before its time. At this moment in time, they were the same; homeless, the last survivors of their kind because – as Cassandra had pointed out to her, as ironic as it'd been – the other humans had 'mingled.' Not that Rose saw anything wrong with that. She was in love with an alien herself! But that meant she was the last true human, just like the Doctor was the last of the Time Lords.

And he'd wanted her to see that, to know how painful it was. For a moment, he wanted her to share a bit of his pain. And she did. She suffered. Not because of her planet, but because of him. Because of the hurt he had to live with, the loneliness of his existence, the knowledge of what he'd been forced to do. Her heart bled for him, the truest victim of the Time War, the truest victim of the Time Lords' madness, of the Daleks cruelty, because he was still standing. Alone, with the weight of his actions choking him. The TARDIS hummed mournfully at the back of her head.

No. Not alone. Never alone again. She stepped closer to him, and linked her arm with his – silently reminding him of her presence – laying her head on his shoulder to watch the sun burn for a bit. She half-expected the Doctor to shrug her off, but he didn't say anything and she actually felt him relax under her cheek. After a few seconds, he even grabbed her hand.

And together, they watched her world die.

* * *

The moment was shattered though when a synthetic voice announced: "Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation, and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine."

The Doctor let go of her hand and grinned at her. He climbed the stairs again to sonic the door open while the computer voice continued, "Followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."

They stepped into the corridor and walked leisurely toward the main room, the Doctor looking everywhere with interest. "Hmm. Looks like it's not a spaceship, more like an observation deck. I'm guessing the great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn."

"For fun," Rose muttered disgustedly as they reached the door she knew led the them to the main observation room. Empty or not, Rose's idea of fun would never be to watch a planet burn. The Doctor looked at her from the corner of his eyes and smirked.

They stepped into the large area, approaching the windows showing the planet.

"Mind you, when I said the great and the good, what I mean is, the rich," he added under his breath.

"But, hold on," Rose said, playing the part of the human new to all this. "They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years."

The Doctor grinned at her. "Millions, but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there? Gravity satellites holding back the sun."

Rose looked out once more. "The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things," she continued, playing her role.

The Doctor nodded approvingly. "They did, and the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over."

"The Earth, empty for the first time in history," she muttered.

"What makes you say that?" he asked her, looking interested.

She smirked. "Well, I know my people yeah? Shifting Continents, holding back the sun... There's no way they'd let anyone play God like that. Not without raising a stink." The Doctor grinned and nodded. "B'sides, I doubt people would let the Earth burn if there were still humans living on it."

"People?" he asked her.

"Aliens." She grinned at the reversal of their conversation the first time around. "I mean, we are on an observation deck in space, so I'm expecting to see aliens. Real aliens!"

"Oi!" the Doctor said, outraged. "What am I? A fake one?"

She smirked."Well, you kinda look human!" The TARDIS hummed merrily at the back of her head. _Yeah, I love to see him riled up too._

"No. You look Time Lord!" he replied immediately, and Rose grinned – wracking her brain to remember if he'd already told her the name of his race, before deciding it didn't matter. "We were here first!"

"Still, not really alien-y looking alien," she sniggered.

The Doctor rolled his eyes before grinning at her. "Rose Tyler, you are..."

"Who the hell are you?" the steward interrupted them. Pouting, because she wanted to know what he thought she was so soon in their relationship, she turned toward the blue-skinned alien striding towards them. His golden slit-eyes were staring daggers at them. "Who the hell are you?" he repeated.

The Doctor frowned a bit. "Oh, that's nice, thanks." Funny how he didn't like rudeness directed at him while he sometimes was the rudest of all.

The steward looked a bit panicked. "But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now."

"That's me," the Doctor answered immediately. "I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation." He pulled out his psychic paper. "Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus one. I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler. She's my plus one. Is that all right?"

The steward's aggressiveness drained away, leaving him flustered. "Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy."

He slowly approached a lectern, preparing himself to announce the 'other' guests.

The Doctor turned toward her, grinning and holding out his psychic paper as he explained, "The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time."

"I want one," Rose blurted out, because, really, she had always wanted one. The Doctor grinned and opened his mouth to answer, but again, the steward interrupted him. "We have in attendance the Doctor and Rose Tyler. Thank you. All staff to their positions."

Rose watched the flurry of small blue people running all around her with interest. The first time around, she'd been so overwhelmed by everything that she had paid very little attention to her surroundings, which had eventually led to her being locked up in a room with the solar shields failing.

"Hurry, now, thank you," the steward urged them. "Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest? Representing the Forest of Cheem, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa."

Rose watched the bark-skinned woman who'd flirted with the Doctor the last time enter the room with her bodyguards. She remembered the Doctor telling her how she'd died burning, and how she'd been horrified by it, and vowed she wouldn't let it happen this time.

"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace," the steward announced and Rose rolled her eyes. She had forgotten about that! Quickly, she searched her pocket to see if she could find something useful, because she really didn't want to see the Doctor breathe on each and every one of them. Not only did it seem to be flirty – at least with the humanoid tree – but quite frankly, it'd also been a bit ridiculous. Really, aliens and their customs. Frowning, she remembered the Moxx of Balhoon, and vowed to avoid being spit on as well.

"Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco," the steward was saying, when she listened again, "we have the Moxx of Balhoon. And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme."

The Doctor who'd watched each appearance with a large grin leaned toward her ear. "Alien-y enough for you, Rose?" he asked with a smirk.

She watched what she knew to be Droids bip away and nodded, grinning. "S'awesome." His smirk turned into a grin.

"The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you. Cal Spark Plug. Mr. and Mrs. Pakoo. The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light," the steward announced as the trees walked up to the Doctor.

"The Gift of Peace," Jabe told him. "I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather." She handed out a rooted twig in a small pot.

The Doctor looked at it with interest before passing it to Rose. "Thank you. Yes, gifts. Er, I give you in return..." Rose rolled her eyes when she saw him take a deep breath and held her hand out. "Precious metal from my world. Used for trades."

Rose saw Jabe wrinkle her nose before smoothing out her features and closing her hand around it. "Gratitude," she nodded before walking away.

"Precious metal from your world? Used for trades?" the Doctor asked her flabbergasted while the steward continued to drone on and on. She grinned and held her hand out, showing him what she was holding. "Pennies? You gave her money?"

She shrugged. "It is precious. Ask anyone on the planet. And we trade it against goods so... Besides, what else could you give her? Air from your lungs?" She sniggered recalling his face as he did so the first time around. The TARDIS hummed joyfully at the back of her head.

He nodded, a little incredulous smile on his lips. "Rose Tyler, you are fantastic!" he exclaimed joyfully and she grinned at him, her tongue poking out between her teeth.

"Although the green plant didn't seem thrilled. Maybe she'd have preferred air from your lungs," she grumbled, good-naturedly, remembering her flirting.

His grin grew bigger and he nodded. "I'm sure she would have. Although, it might also be the fact that she's a tree. Trees and metal don't get along so well."

Rose shrugged. "Too bad!"

Rose turned her attention back toward the steward who was announcing, "From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe."

Fascinated, she watched the huge glass case barely making it through the doorway. Once again, she was shocked by the giant humanoid head with straggly hair seemingly floating inside.

She felt something brush her mind – a feeling similar to when the TARDIS wanted her attention – but something flared at the back of her mind and she could have sworn she heard a wolf howling before quieting again. She jumped and frantically looked around her. That hadn't happened the first time around.

"Ah. The Moxx of Balhoon," the Doctor announced, unaware of what had just happened to her. She shook her head. Maybe she'd hallucinated or something. She saw the blue alien approach and she inched discreetly behind the Doctor.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance," the Moxx of Balhoon said. Smirking madly, Rose stepped fully behind the Doctor's larger shoulders and ducked her head. "I give you the gift of bodily salivas." The blue alien spat in the Doctor's face, who jumped back.

"Thank you very much," the Doctor grumbled sombrely and Rose couldn't hold back her giggle.

"Gratitude. In return, I give you precious metal from my world. Used for trades," Rose told him, handing him a penny. The alien nodded and rolled away and Rose collapsed into a fit of giggles. "Oh you should have seen your face." The TARDIS was buzzing with amusement as well.

"That's not funny," the Doctor muttered and he glared at her, wiping his eye, a grin threatening to stretch his lips. He became happier again when the black-robed group glided up. "Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I bring you precious metal from my companion's world. Used for trades," he said, grabbing one of her pennies to hand it out.

A large metal hand held out a ball to them and Rose shuddered, remembering the metallic spiders that would come out of it. She hated spiders, organic or metallic, no matter what shape or form it took. "A gift of peace in all good faith," a gravelly voice told them. The Doctor grabbed the ball and threw it once in the air before handing it to Rose. She hesitated for a fraction of second before grabbing it.

The steward called for the attention of everyone and as the dance of gift exchanges momentarily stopped. He announced, "And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multi-forms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."

Rolling her eyes, she watched the framed skin of Cassandra being wheeled in by her two minions dressed in top-to-toe hospital gowns. "Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturise me. Moisturise me." She rolled her eyes as one of the goons used a pump spray on her. "Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honour them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils." Rose snorted at that, and she and the Doctor shared a grin. "Or was that my third husband? Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity."

Rose watched one of the little blue aliens wheel a jukebox into the room. Next to her, the Doctor watched the scene with interest. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod." Rose shook her head. "It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"

Listening to the intro of 'Tainted Love,' Rose watched the Doctor dance from the corner of her eye. She was biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing when she felt another brush against her mind.

"_Over here_," a disembodied, very old voice said in her mind and she looked around her once more. This time, her eyes met the Face of Boe's, who nodded slowly. "_Come closer."_

Ignoring the other aliens approaching for the gift exchange, she grabbed the Doctor's hand to drop her pennies and walked away slowly, ignoring the Doctor's, "Rose?"

She approached the Face of Boe hesitantly, as he watched her, a smile on his huge distorted lips. _"Come closer, Rose Tyler. Let me see yo__u,_" the voice in her head told her, with an undeniable warmth. The TARDIS hummed approvingly at the back of her head so she took a deep breath, and walked right up to the glass case to kneel down in front of it with a smile. The Face of Boe chuckled in her head. _"I still don't stand a chance."_

Those words seemed vaguely familiar and she frowned. "Do I know you?"

"_It has been a very long time since we last met. Longer for me than for you. But you are still so very beautiful. Time has been less kind with me." _Her frown deepened as she searched her memory of that encounter. Coming empty, she sighed, "I'm sorry but..."

"_We danced under the stars," _the Face of Boe interrupted her._ "Glasses of champagne and Glenn Miller. The sky lit up by the fires of war."_

"Jack?!" she breathed. "Jack? Is that you?"

He chuckled. "_It's me, Rose. My beautiful Rose." _A wave of warmth overwhelmed her and she got the feeling Jack had just mentally hugged her.

"What happened to you?" she asked, horrified. "I mean..."

He chuckled again. "_Time has __happened__, sweetheart. Such a long time has passed since the Blitz, and the gas-masked people; since Justicia and San Kaloon; since Cardiff and Raxacoricofallapatorius; since Kyoto and Satellite Five, Rose."_

"I..." she breathed, unsure of what she was about to say but he continued. _"And you know what I'm talking about, Rose, don't you? I'm not the only one for __whom__ a long time has passed, has it? You're walking a fine line."_

"How do you know?" she asked, totally flabbergasted, and Jack grinned.

"_You told me yourself. A long time ago."_

"I've told you?" she asked, surprised. "When you traveled with us?"

"_No, before and after we did."_

"Huh?" she asked, frowning.

He chuckled. _"Timelines are tricky things Rose Tyler. You technically told me before we met, and so long after we traveled together."_

"Talk about cryptic, Jack," she grumbled and his chuckle amplified. _"You'll understand in time. And if you think about it, sweetheart, you'll only tell me because I just told you you would."_

"I'm getting a headache," she muttered.

"_I'm sorry," _Jack apologized. _"But I'm making a point here, Rose. What you've decided to do could be quite dangerous. What if something happened to you before Canary Wharf? Both your futures and my past would be affected. Things could go so wrong, sweetheart."_

"But I've got to, Jack. You know I do. We were both a complete mess when we were separated. You didn't see it."

"_Actually, I did_," he told her, interrupting her before she could work herself up. _"I've seen him when you were gone. And let me tell you I'm so glad you're back. For both of your sakes. But I want you to be careful, Rose. You've got to promise me you'll be careful, because I'm not sure I could bear it if anything were to happen to you."_

A wave of affection and love overwhelmed her and she kissed the glass separating her from one of her very best friends. "I promise you I'll be careful, Jack. I swear. I'm here to make things better, not worse, I promise."

"_I'll take your word for it, Rose,_" he chuckled._ "Another piece of advice for you, sweetheart. I know you, better than most, and I know what you're planning to do. But some death has to happen, Rose. You can't save everyone, no matter how much you wish for it."_

"I still can try," she muttered.

Jack chuckled. _"You are one stubborn woman, Rose Tyler. And I love you so much for that. You're one of the greatest __loves__ of my life." _He told her fondly.

Eyes filled with tears, she kissed the glass again. "I love you too, Jack."

Wave after wave of love and tenderness overwhelmed her mind, as she stroked the glass. And she sighed happily. She'd never even dared to imagine that the Face of Boe was Jack. He was billions, trillions of years old! That was completely unbelievable. "I thought you were human, Jack," she suddenly said, not even registering her words herself until she'd said them. Then she frowned. "Aren't you?"

Jack sighed in her head. _"I am, Rose."_

"Then how come you lived so long? How come you were immortal the last time I saw you?" The TARDIS hummed warningly at the back of her head.

"_It doesn't matter, Rose."_

"Jack..."

"_No, sweetheart. It doesn't matter."_

"Why won't you tell me?" she asked. "If it doesn't matter, why won't you tell me? You were about to die, on your Chula ship. You were about to die, and you were human. You almost died in Kyoto as well. You had to get CPR and then you almost died again with the stunt you pulled."

"_Rose. Stop it,"_ Jack told her wearily.

"And then we were on satellite five and..." Suddenly, a wolf howled at the back of her mind and memories flooded her mind. Memories of when she absorbed the Time Vortex, when she destroyed the Daleks with a wave of her hand, when she found out that Jack was dead and brought him back, when she burned, as the Bad Wolf carved itself on her mind, when the Doctor absorbed the Time Vortex and died in the process. "Oh my God," she gasped. "I did that to you. It was me." The TARDIS hummed sadly at the back of her head and her eyes filled with tears. "Oh Jack..."

"_Rose, listen to me,_" Jack told her urgently. "_It's okay, sweetheart. It was meant to happen."_

"But..."

"_N__o,_" he interrupted her. "_I want you to listen to me and listen good. You saved my life that day. Never be sorry for that. You gave me such an opportunity! The __things__ I've seen, the things I've done, the life I've led, oh Rose, I wouldn't trade it for the world!"_

"Jack..._"_

"_Listen to me, Ros__e,_" he ordered. _"You brought me back because you couldn't bear to know I was dead. Do you know how much that means to me? How much it meant throughout the years to know that at one point in time, I was loved so much that my death was unbearable. __No one__ had ever loved me like that before, Rose. Don't you dare be sorry for that. Because I'm not."_

Wiping her eyes, Rose nodded. "Okay."

"_And it's going to happen again, Rose. Promise me you'll bring me back again. I'm too awesome to die on a stupid satellite!"_

She smiled a huge if a bit wobbly smile. "I promise, Jack."

"_Good_!"he told her, before chuckling again. _"Now, the Doctor's been staring since you joined me and he's getting antsier by the minute so I'm going to return you to him._" He gave her another mental hug. _"Until we meet again, Rose."_

She took a deep breath and kissed the glass one last time. "I love you, Jack."

"_Love you too, sweetheart._"

Standing up, she painfully unfolded her limbs. She moaned at the hot white lava stabbing her legs and took a few steps toward the exit to try and get rid of it. Besides, she wanted a minute to wrap her head around all the things she'd just found out. She stepped outside the room, walking toward the deck where the TARDIS was parked, passing the steward's office, giggling when she heard the announcement, "Would the owner of the blue box in private gallery fifteen please report to the Steward's office immediately. Guests are reminded that use of teleportation devices is strictly forbidden under Peace Treaty five point four slash cup slash sixteen. Thank you."

Her giggle turned to a chuckle when she saw a bunch of little aliens wheel the TARDIS away from the gallery and into a full laughter when she felt her disgruntled hum.

* * *

Entering the gallery, she sat down on the steps dropping the potted plant next to her, but keeping the ball holding the spider in her hand because she knew it wouldn't come out if she did. She then waited for the Doctor who, she knew, would soon follow. "Earth Death in twenty five minutes," the computer announced and she stared at her planet for a while.

"Rose? Are you in there?" the Doctor called, stepping into the room. His eyes immediately landing on her. "Aye, aye. What do you think, then?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"I think this is the most awesome thing ever," she told him sincerely and he grinned. "And I want to thank you so very much for showing it to me. I mean, I'd never even dare dream of something like this and here I am, meeting aliens and seeing things no one will ever see. It means so very much to me that you're sharing it with me," she told him with feeling, and on an impulse, she hugged him.

He stiffened a bit before relaxing and sliding an arm around her waist. "I'm glad you like it."

"I absolutely love it!" she confirmed, and she felt him turn his head toward her hair, hiding his grin.

They stayed silent for a moment, watching the Earth perish before the Doctor spoke again. "Rose?"

"Yes?" she asked softly, still lost in the contemplation of her world.

"Why did you kiss the Face of Boe?" he asked her seriously.

"What?" she asked, stunned. Really?

"Three times, Rose. You kissed him three times."

She grinned, her tongue poking out between. "Why? You jealous?"

He frowned. "I'm serious."

She shrugged. "So am I."

"What were you talking about?" he continued.

"Stuff." She shrugged again.

"Rose," he insisted flatly.

"Doctor," she replied in the same tone. "I don't see why it concerns you. We were just talking 'bout stuff, s'all. And he was nice to me."

He frowned. "I need to know what he told you. It might be something important."

She smirked. "I assure you it was. To me. It's no big deal. Nothing life-altering. I swear." He was still frowning so she went for a little levity. "I wasn't planning on eloping with him and leave you here if that's what you're worried about."

A small smile tugged at his lips and she grinned victoriously. "I'd be stuck here then, with no way home," she added.

"Oh, so I'm just a glorified taxi? Is that it?" he asked, playfully.

She pulled her phone out. "Not like I could call one, ya know. We're out of range. Just a bit. And you're not just a taxi. You're also the most un-alien-y alien in this place." _You're a crazy guy with a box. The stuff of nightmare, the stuff of legend. The man I love._

He grinned. "Tell you what," he told her, grabbing her phone. "With a little bit of jiggery pokery..." He pointed his screwdriver at it, frowning in concentration.

"Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery?" She sniggered.

"Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?"

Rose grinned. "No, I failed hullabaloo."

The Doctor grinned back and handed her phone. "There you go."

Amused by his proud and expectant expression, she called her mum, who picked up at the first ring. "Hello?"

"Hey mum."

"Oh, what is it?" her mum exclaimed. "What's wrong? What have I done now? Oh, this red top's falling to bits. You should get your money back. Go on." She grinned, tears in her eyes as she listened to her mum ramble. Intellectually, she knew her mum was here, in this world, but until now she still had felt like she had abandoned her in the parallel world, so hearing her voice, picturing her in their little kitchen, comforted her more than she'd even realised she needed. Suddenly, she wished she could see her, hug her and apologize for leaving her behind even if technically she hadn't yet. She also wanted to apologize for the pain she was going to put her through. But she couldn't. The Doctor would ask too many questions. And so would her mum. So she stayed silent as the TARDIS hummed comfortingly at the back of her mind.

"There must be something," her mum told her, "you never phone in the middle of the day."

Rose smiled. "Nothing. You all right, though?" she asked her.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" her mum asked, puzzled. Suddenly, Rose realised how much this phone call must have worried her mum when she didn't made it back home, what with her long silences and strangled voice. So she decided to cut it short. "I might be late home."

"Is there something wrong?" her mum asked her. Too late then.

"No," she reassured her. "I'm fine. Top of the world." The Doctor grinned at her choice of words and she grinned back

"Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill," the Doctor quipped.

"No thank you! I'll just marvel at your high level in jiggery pokery." She grinned, her tongue touching her teeth.

The Doctor's answering grin fell when the space station shook. "That's not supposed to happen," he told her gleefully, and she bit back a giggle at his sudden excitation. He ran out of the room as the steward's voice announce, "Honoured guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence, thanking you."

Suddenly, Rose remembered the steward had been the first one to die. Swearing under her breath, she ran out of the room, grabbing the Doctor's hand to drag him along and hurried toward the steward's office. When they reached his door, she stopped. "I think I heard something," she told the Doctor, before pummelling the door. "Hello? Hello? Someone in there?" she called and from the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor pull his sonic screwdriver out and point it at the control panel. The door opened and the steward stepped out, completely shaken. "I think someone introduced illegal contraband on the station," he told them. "There is a metal spider in my office." The Doctor frowned and entered the room, scanning it with his screwdriver. "Whatever it was," he said, once he was done, "it's gone. There's nothing in the office. Come on."

He grabbed Rose's hand and they barrelled toward the observation gallery, the steward hot on their heels.

* * *

**There you go! Sooo, what do you say? Any comments? Remarks? Praises? :D Let me know!**


	6. The End of the World II

**Here we go, thanks for the reviews guys!**

**Beta'ed by the great hawkerin!**

**Sorry for the wait. Been a bit busy with my finals. But I've got a break until next week so finally, here's part two! Enjoy**

* * *

**The End of the World (2/2)**

* * *

"Indubitably, this is the Bad Wolf scenario," the Moxx of Bahloon was saying when they entered the room and Rose startled. She didn't have any idea the Bad Wolf was there from their very first trip. Talk about one hell of a foreshadowing they had both ignored. "I find the inherent laxity of the on-going multiverse." She frowned. Multiverse. Another familiar notion. Could it perhaps be another warning? So soon?

As soon as they stepped in the room, the Doctor whirled on the steward. "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that." The steward remain silent, and Rose realised he was in shock. She patted his shoulder comfortingly. The Doctor cocked an unimpressed eyebrow. "What do you think, Jabe?" he asked, turning toward her next. "Listen to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?" Rose frowned. When had they started to be on first-name basis? The TARDIS hummed joyfully at the back of her head. _Yeah, I'm a bit jealous. So what?_

"It's the sound of metal." Jabe sniffed. "It doesn't make any sense to me."

"Where's the engine room?" he then asked.

The steward still hadn't said anything and after a glance at him, Jabe answered. "I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your wife," she offered, clearly fishing for information about them. Rose guided the steward a bit away, toward a bench on which he dropped heavily. Patting his shoulder comfortingly, she turned back toward the Doctor.

"She's not my wife," the Doctor answered her happily as she returned next to him.

"Partner?" the tree insisted.

His grin grew. "No."

"Concubine?"

"Nope." Oh. He was so enjoying it! She glared at him and he grinned. Enough was enough, she decided, she wasn't going to let the tree insult her any further so she stepped in.

"Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Do you mind?" she asked, before biting her lips, mentally rolling her eyes at herself. It was just a bit of harmless flirting. She decided to act like the last time, let them go on their own and talk to Cassandra. It was always fun to bitch at Cassandra. "Tell you what, you two go and pollinate." She grinned. "I'm going to catch up with family. Quick word with Michael Jackson." She turned and walked away.

"Don't start a fight," the Doctor called after her, smirking. She turned around to poke her tongue at him and watched him offer Jabe his arm. "I'm all yours," he grinned. She rolled her eyes at his antics before pointing at him. "And I want you home by midnight." He watched her, his eyes dancing happily and winked as the computer announced "Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes."

Once they were gone, she turned back again and walked decidedly toward Cassandra. "Cassandra, a quick word?"

"Walk with me," the skin accepted. She watched her minions roll her toward the huge window and stepped next to her.

"Soon, the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die," Cassandra said mournfully, and Rose rolled her eyes. "That's where I used to live, when I was a little boy, down there. Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice. I'd have such fun."

"What happened to everyone else?" Rose asked her, although she already knew. "The human race, where did it go?"

"They say mankind has touched every star in the sky," Cassandra answered her.

"So, you're not the last human," Rose pointed out, greatly enjoying provoking her.

"I am the last pure human," Cassandra said haughtily. "The others mingled. Oh, they call themselves New humans and Proto-humans and Digi-humans, even Humanish, but you know what I call them? Mongrels," she said in a disgusted voice. "Me, I kept myself pure," she then added proudly, and Rose rolled her eyes with disgust. She was so myopic in her view of the world it wasn't even funny.

"Pure?" she repeated sarcastically. "How many operations have you had?"

"Seven hundred and eight," Cassandra answered proudly. "Next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached. Is that why you wanted a word? You could be flatter, Rose. You've got a little bit of a chin poking out."

Yeah, a chin, and a nose, and ears, and limbs, and curves. "I'd rather die," she told her coldly.

"Honestly, it doesn't hurt." Cassandra told her condescendingly.

"No, I mean it. I would rather die," Rose repeated. "It's better to die than live like you, a bitchy trampoline!"

"Oh, well. What do you know!" Cassandra sniffed, insulted.

"I was born on that planet," Rose told her, "and so was my mum, and so was my dad, and that makes me officially the last human being in this room, although I don't consider myself as such, because the human race is still out there. They did not 'mingle,' they evolved! And that's the beauty of the human race, Cassandra, the ability to evolve and go on despite whatever happens. We are survivors, it's in our DNA, and we'll keep on living. Forever. But you can't understand that, Cassandra, 'cos you're not human. You've had it all nipped and tucked and flattened till there's nothing left. Anything human got chucked in the bin. You're just skin, Cassandra. Lipstick and skin. Nice talking," she concluded before walking away, approaching Jack and leaning against the wall next to him.

_"Was that necessary?__" _Jack asked her, chuckling, as she watched the Adherents of the Repeated Meme turn toward her.

She shrugged, "No, but it sure felt good!" She frowned when she saw that Cassandra was staring at her as well.

"_You've just made an enemy there, sweetheart,"_ Jack told her. And she realised that she indeed had. She watched Cassandra glare at her and remembered how she'd been knocked out and locked up on the deck the last time, a room empty of any protection against the sun. Suddenly she understood that Cassandra was the one who'd had her locked up there! The Adherents were under her control! She was so the one who had essentially condemned her. As vengeance for her words! A wave of fury overwhelmed her. Talk about overreaction! Smirking, she glared right back at her. No deadly sunburn this time. She wasn't going anywhere.

Finally, Cassandra huffed and asked to be moisturised, breaking the glaring contest. Closing her eyes, she let her head drop against the wall.

"_You know what's going on, don't you?_" Jack asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"_Are we safe?"_

"We will be. Jack. Didn't I tell you about it?"

"_Only in broad terms. You didn't want to risk the timelines,"_ he explained to her.

She distractedly nodded, thinking about something else. "You're the one who sponsored the event, right?"

He chuckled. "_Indeed."_

She grinned. "I just realised! You set up our first date!" She chuckled and Jack joined her. "Oh! That's so very you!"

"_It was too good an opportunity to pass up!" _he told her laughingly.

She opened her mouth to answer him but was interrupted by Cassandra, "The planet's end. Come gather, come gather."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Talk about a drama queen," she muttered and Jack chuckled.

"Bid farewell to the cradle of civilisation. Let us mourn her with a traditional ballad," Cassandra continued.

When the jukebox started to play the first notes of 'Toxic', both of them chuckled. They stopped, however, when the Doctor burst into the room, Jabe on his heels. His eyes immediately found her and he breathed a sigh of relief before frowning.

"The metal machine confirms," Jabe said, typing away on some sort of tiny computer. "The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One."

The Doctor turned toward her, his frown deepening, as Cassandra interrupted. "How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturise me, moisturise me," she then ordered and her minions set up on their task.

"Summon the Steward," the Moxx of Balhoon ordered.

The Doctor glanced at him, still sitting on his bench, a vacant look on his face. "I'm afraid the steward is unavailable right now," he said and Rose frowned. The alien was useless ever since he'd seen the spider. How did he ever get this job?

"He's supposed to be the one in charge!" the Moxx exclaimed, outraged and Rose snorted. "See if I ever attend another event of Plateform One. My associates will be informed of what transpired here."

Other voices were starting to raise but Cassandra's rose above all others, "This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face.é

A wave of fury overwhelmed Rose. How dare she accuse Jack. She'd just taken a step forward when Jack's voice raised in her head. _"Calm down, Rose,_" he told her. "_I'm honoured you feel insulted on my behalf..._" She could hear his smirk. _"...But the Doctor's here. He'll do what he does best. Save everyone and clear things out,_" he reminded her fondly. She took a deep breath and nodded, walking toward the Doctor.

"Easy way of finding out," the Doctor said, watching her approach. "Someone bought their little pet on board." He grabbed the spider Jabe was holding and put it down. "Let's send him back to master."

The tiny Droid scuttled off to Cassandra to scan her before turning toward the Adherents of the Repeated Meme. "The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!"

Almost in sync, the Doctor and Rose both rolled their eyes. "That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it..." He approached the Adherents and one of them tried to hit him so he pulled its arm off. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea." He pulled on a wire dangling from the arm and all the Adherents collapsed onto themselves. "Remote controlled Droids," he said. "Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo." Rose snorted. Jimbo! "Go home," the Doctor said, giving the spider a nudge and the Droid scuttled back to Cassandra.

"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed," Cassandra sneered as the Doctor returned to Rose's side. "At arms!" she ordered and her minions raised their spray guns.

"What are you going to do, moisturise me?" the Doctor snorted, mockingly.

"With acid," Cassandra spat. "Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just as pretty face."

"You're not pretty," Rose muttered and the Doctor glanced at her, his lips twitching.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?"

Cassandra smirked. "I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous."

The Doctor frowned. "Five billion years and it still comes down to money," he spat disgustingly.

"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this?" Cassandra asked. "Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not that freaky little kid of yours." Once again, he glanced at her, this time with surprise, probably wondering what had gone down between them. She grinned innocently at him and he grinned back.

"Arrest her, the infidel!" The Moxx of Balhoon exclaimed, pointing at Cassandra.

"Oh, shut it, pixie," she sneered. "I've still got my final option."

At that instant, the computer announced. "Earth Death in three minutes."

"And here it comes," Cassandra crowed. "You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn."

"Then you'll burn with us!" Jabe exclaimed, stepping forward.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Cassandra told her. "I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate," she ordered and a series of explosions shook the Platform.

"Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode," Cassandra gloated. "At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me." She snickered as the computer announced, "Safety systems failing."

"Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings," Cassandra said before teleporting away.

The computer announced, "Heat levels rising."

"Reset the computer," the Moxx demanded.

"Only the Steward would know how," Jabe shot back, glancing at him critically, "and right now he doesn't even seem able to stand."

"No," the Doctor said. He too was watching the steward with critical eyes and a disgusted sneer on his face. "We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Rose, with me! You lot, just chill."

"Step away from the windows!" Rose told them, following him out. He grinned at her when she joined him and she giggled when she saw he was still holding the Droid's arm. "Admit it," she smirked, nodding toward it, "You've got a thing for arms, right?" He glanced at the piece of metal he was holding, chuckled and threw it over his shoulder before looking around him, searching the right direction. His eyes lit up when he found it.

"Wait!" Jabe called after them. "I'm coming with you."

The Doctor barely glanced at her before breaking into a run, grabbing Rose's hand to tug her behind him. They quickly made their way to the engine room and the Doctor exclaimed, "Oh. And guess where the switch is?"

Rose squinted and saw it on the other side of the razor sharp looking fans turning at full speed. "Would be too easy otherwise," she muttered and she heard the Doctor snicker. He was having so much fun! She looked around her, searching the lever she knew Jabe had held down. The computer announced that the heat levels were rising, just as it had too many times in the last couple of minutes.

Finally spotting it, she pulled the breaker lever and watched as the fans slowed a bit, but her hands were sweaty because of the heat and slid. The fans immediately picked up speed again. Frowning, she wiped her hands on her jeans before pulling the lever down again, holding it firmly this time. The fans slowed considerably and the Doctor grinned at her. "Fantastic!"

He turned toward the catwalk and approached the first fan, focusing on it to pick up its rhythm so he could cross it.

"Jabe! Get out of here!" Rose ordered.

The tree crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not going anywhere."

Rose rolled her eyes as the Doctor passed the first fan. "The heat's venting through this place, it's getting hotter and hotter, and you're made of wood. Get. OUT!" she yelled, and the Doctor looked back at her before focusing on the second fan again.

Jabe nodded shakily, already visibly weakened and staggered out of the room. Rose breathed a sigh of relief. Another life saved. And then, she sucked air in. Holding the lever down with this heat was incredibly hard, and her muscles were starting to burn. She looked back at the Doctor, who'd passed the second fan and was studying the third and she yelled, "Whenever you want, yeah!"

"I'm doing my best," he replied in the same tone.

Rose frowned when her arms started to shake. Her eyes were burning from the sweat on her forehead, which mated her hair to her face, not helping one bit. Her skin was on fire as well and every breath was starting to burn her lungs. "Come on, Doctor, hurry up," she muttered and she sighed with relief when he finally passed the third fan and pulled the reset lever up.

"Raise shields!" he ordered.

Unable to hold on anymore, Rose let go of the lever but the fans kept the same lazy pace, actually going even slower since the Doctor easily walked back to her. Bouncing the last few steps, he grabbed her and pulled her close, hugging her like there was no tomorrow. "Fantastic, Rose! You were absolutely fantastic!"

Grinning, she slowly raised her arms to return the hug, wincing in pain. The Doctor held her for a few more seconds before letting her go and grabbing her hand again to lead her in the corridor, where Jabe was waiting for them with a smile. "You did it!" she exclaimed joyfully, hugging the Doctor first and then Rose. Rose grinned, happy that she was still alive. The room had been a real inferno, she couldn't even imagine what it'd be like for a tree.

They returned to the observation room and Rose quickly looked around her, making sure that everyone was indeed safe, and she grinned when she found them all accounted for.

"_Good job, Rose!"_ Jack congratulated her, and she grinned at him. Next to her, still holding her hand, the Doctor was doing his own check while Jabe was embracing her companions.

Once he was done, the Doctor turned toward her and frowned, brushing her burning skin. "I'm fine," she told him with a smile. "Really. I'm okay. What now?" she asked him, with an encouraging grin.

"Right now," he said, still staring at her. "Right now I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby." He finally let go of her hand to grab the alleged ostrich egg and smash it, revealing a small device. "Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed," he said, sonicking the transmitter.

"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces," Cassandra's voice said before she appeared and gasped, "Oh."

"The last human," the Doctor spat disgustedly.

"So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club," Cassandra said, grasping at straws to justify herself.

"People could have died, Cassandra," the Doctor spat furiously. "You would have murdered them with no remorse."

"It depends on your definition of people," Cassandra sneered. "And that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter..."

"And creak?" the Doctor interrupted her, smirking.

"And what?"

"Creak," he told her. "You're creaking."

"What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturise me, moisturise me!" she ordered. "Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"

"You raised the temperature," Rose muttered.

"Have pity!" Cassandra begged. "Moisturise me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything."

Rose watched the scene unfold silently. She hesitated for the longest time, knowing what Cassandra had done the first time around, and what she was capable of, but in the end, she couldn't help it, she had to at least ask. Knowing it was completely useless, she grabbed the Doctor's hand and breathed, "Help her."

The Doctor shook his head. "Everything has its time and everything dies."

"I'm too young!" Cassandra wailed right before exploding. Rose turned her head in disgust when a bit of Cassandra flew next to her head.

The Doctor let go of her hand and turned toward the steward, finally trying to rouse him into action at least enough to call for some transportation. Rose stood in the middle of the room for a few seconds, as people around her gathered to talk about lawyers and insurance and compensation. Shaking her head in disgust, she turned away, meeting Jabe's eyes, who nodded at her. Nodding back, she made her way toward the door, stroking Jack's glass as she passed by it.

"_She deserved it,_" he told her and she nodded.

"I know."

"_We're all safe,"_ he added.

"We are." She suddenly felt completely drained.

"_Are you okay, Rose?"_

She smiled at him. "Sure. I just need a minute."

"_Very well. Until we meet again, sweetheart._"

"Bye, Jack," she muttered, leaving the room.

* * *

She went back to Deck fifteen, sitting heavily on the stairs. Every inch of her body was making her suffer. Her skin was still burning and she felt bone-tired. She breathed deeply watching the asteroids that were once the Earth floating past the Red Giant Sun.

Little by little, her feelings came back to her. She'd done it. She'd saved everyone. The realisation almost made her light-headed. She'd managed to deal with everything and she was so exhausted. She'd grown a bit complacent it seemed. But the joy of her success soon started to chase away her exhaustion and she managed a small grin when the Doctor sat next to her. "The end of the Earth," she then sighed, turning serious. "It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just..."

The Doctor grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. "Come with me," he said softly.

When they stepped in the TARDIS, Rose sighed with appreciation. The air was much cooler than usual, soothing her burning skin. _Thanks girlfriend._ The TARDIS hummed worriedly at her. _I'm okay. I promise."_

She expected the Doctor to let go of her hand to send the TARDIS spinning but he kept hold of it and dragged her toward the corridor. Rose followed intrigued and immediately recognized the door the TARDIS had brought forward. The infirmary. The Doctor led her toward the bed and gently told her to sit before searching the cabinets strewn everywhere in the room, muttering under his breath. A couple of minutes later, he returned to her, holding a jar of cream. Dipping his fingers in, he smeared some on her face, and the relief was immediate, her skin immediately stopped burning and pulling. She sighed and he held the jar out, telling her to do her arms while he continued working on her face. She immediately obeyed, sighing once more in relief when the burning of her arms diminished and together, they quickly finished. He told her to keep the jar and grabbed her hand again to lead her back toward the console room.

This time, he did send them spinning away in the vortex and they landed smoothly once more. Stepping out of the TARDIS, Rose took a deep breath, savouring the smells of the city, the noises and bustling of an Earth brimming with life.

"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't," the Doctor told her. "One day it's all gone. Even the sky. My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before it's time."

"What happened?" Rose asked him, slowly.

He swallowed. Hard. "There was a war – a Time War – against a race called the Daleks and we lost. Everyone lost." She stayed silent, offering her silent support and the Doctor took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else," he admitted, in a voice so broken that it almost destroyed her.

She slipped her hand in his. "There's me," she told him.

The Doctor sighed. "You've seen how dangerous it is. You've been hurt. Do you want to go home?" he asked her, and she knew part of him was hoping she'd say, 'Yes. Take me home,' while the other begged her to refuse.

"No," she therefore told him. "I don't want to go home. I want..." She sniffed the air. "Oh, can you smell chips?"

The Doctor sniffed the air. "Yeah. Yeah."

"I want chips," Rose sighed happily, and really she suddenly had a craving.

"Me too." The Doctor grinned.

She nodded decidedly. "Right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is, and you can pay."

"No money," he admitted happily.

She rolled her eyes. "What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad, chips are on me. We've only got five billion years till the shops close." He grinned and grabbed the hand she was holding out.

She led him to her favourite chippy, wrapping her arm around his, still holding his hand at the same time, and dropping her head on his shoulder. She was feeling better by the second, even if her body was sore. Grinning madly, she pointed out everything she noticed and he listened to her, fascinated until they reached the place she'd looked for.

They shared a plate of chips, each munching pensively, lost in their thoughts. Once in a while, one would share a stray thought with the other, and they'd grinned at each other before falling into a comfortable silence.

As Rose was staring out the window, she saw a familiar shape pass by the chippy. She jumped on her feet, surprising the Doctor out of his own thoughts, and he frowned. "Rose?"

"I've just seen a friend of mine I haven't seen in a long time," she told him. "I'll be back in a minute."

He nodded a bit sadly and she realised a part of him was wondering if she was perhaps running away. She shook her head. Ridiculous. "Just a few minutes and then you can get me back in that big blue box of yours, okay?" He nodded again with a bit of a grin, and on impulse, she leaned down to kiss his cheek before running out of the chippy.

She quickly looked back to see the Doctor holding his cheek and she grinned before looking everywhere, hoping to catch a glance of the familiar coat she was looking for. Finally spotting it, she started running, ignoring her protesting limbs, yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Jack! Jack! Jack Harkness!"

* * *

**There you go! Sooo, good?**


	7. TA: Friends of future's past

**Here we go, thanks for the reviews guys!**

**Beta'ed by the great hawkerin!**

* * *

**Torchwood Archives: Friends of Future's Past**

* * *

Jack was striding in the streets of London, angrily thinking about the meeting he just had with that stupid, stupid woman. Yvonne Hartman. Newly appointed head of Torchwood One, so set on bringing the creation of a new British Empire, fascinated by the Doctor, and yet, terrified of him, dreaming of being the one to finally capture him.

He'd been cordially invited as the head of Torchwood Three and even if he wasn't aligned with them, he'd decided it was better not to make an enemy out of Torchwood One. After all, he knew London was one of the Doctor's favourite towns, or was it trouble's favourite town and the Doctor was just coming to the rescue? Didn't matter, it was where Rose lived as well. So London was bound to see the TARDIS show up one way or another. And when it did, he didn't wanted anyone interfering with him meeting them.

It had been such a very long time since the last time he'd seen them. Back on Satellite Five, where he'd died and then woke up covered in Dalek's ashes, just in time to hear the TARDIS leave without him. He still didn't know what had happened. Because something must have happened. There was no way they would have abandoned him there, right? No way! Even if the Doctor – whom he still called a friend despite everything – had decided to leave without him, he knew Rose would have never allowed it. Not his Rose.

Staying away from her as she grew up had been very hard for him. He'd gone to check on her sometimes, but it was so difficult to resist the desire to talk to her, that over the years, he'd visited less and less, and now he only went about once a year. Some sort of pilgrimage, anxiously awaiting their first meeting during the Blitz so he wouldn't have to fear seeing indifference in the eyes of the woman he loved still, after so many years – just as he still loved the Doctor as well – his best friend, his little sister in all but blood. As that little shit Jimmy Stone had learned the hard way.

He'd checked more often in the last year because he knew that was the year of her first meeting with the Doctor, her eighteenth year. He'd been so shocked to see her face plastered everywhere the last time he'd stepped on the estate. The flyers reading, 'Have you seen this girl?' had him grinning like mad because finally, finally, things were starting to look up. He wasn't worried for Rose and he'd tried to comfort Jackie but the woman had threatened to punch him when he'd talked to her. He'd had to tell her that no, he didn't knew where Rose was – which was true, he didn't, they could either be on Platform One or Christmas Cardiff at that instant, or maybe floating in the vortex for a bit of downtime – but that he knew she was safe and would come back soon. He'd barely avoided a slap and quickly walked away while Jackie was calling the cops. Not his brightest idea...

Moving on. Back to that stupid woman, Yvonne Hartman. He'd expected a bit of a show-off. Torchwood One's better than Three, or a discussion about her vision for Torchwood, or maybe a bit of brainstorming on the different creatures Torchwood Three was working with. What he wasn't expecting was for her to grill him about the Doctor. He'd thought he'd erased every mention of their relationship from the Torchwood files, but apparently she'd found the journals of the women who'd recruited him back in the eighteenth century deep down in the bowels of the Torchwood Archives. He had to give it to her, the woman was thorough!

So she'd asked him every question concerning the Doctor she could think of. He'd shrugged and played stupid, and blamed his age for his failing memory. She'd threatened to torture him, to experiment on him – for she'd also read about his immortality in the journals – and he'd welcomed her to it. With a shark-like smile, he'd warned her that she might not appreciate his vengeance though. She was a relatively new recruit that'd climbed up the ranks very fast, stepping on a lot of people along the way, and she hadn't made any friends doing so. He knew no one would blink if he killed her. Empty threats of course, but she didn't need to know that and she'd eventually backed off, turning to the business he'd expected, offering him a tour of the facilities. He'd declined and made his exit, quite fed up with her.

Now he was debating going straight back to Cardiff to bitch and complain about Hartman at his team or stopping by a bar to drink a few beers when he heard someone call his name.

"Jack Harkness!"

He froze, his breath caught in his throat, his heart hammering away in his chest, his blood pounding in his ears. He knew that voice. Knew it well. But there was no way. Absolutely no way she could recognize him. They hadn't met yet. Still, unable to ignore his hope that maybe it was a later version of Rose, one whom he'd already traveled with, he slowly turned around, all air leaving his lungs with a 'whoosh' when she collided with him.

"I knew it was you! I'd recognize that coat anywhere! Oh Jack, I'm so happy to see you," she babbled in his ear, still holding him tight. He was hugging her just as tight, maybe even tighter, breathing in the scent of her, still so familiar and comforting. The smell of love, friendship, home and...chips.

She kissed his cheek and stepped back but he pulled her close again, not quite ready to let her go yet. He had missed her so much! Giggling she hugged him once more before disentangling herself gently, grinning that huge tongue between teeth smile of hers, but it also seemed a bit pained. He stared at her, drinking her up before frowning, because the woman looking at him was the one whose face was on the flyers. Actually, she looked even younger than when he'd met her. Her face was a bit rounder, she was a bit curvier but her eyes shocked him. Her eyes looked so much older, full of raw wounds and grief.

"Rose?" he asked. "How old are you?"

Her grinned faltered a bit, and she sighed, a tired sigh. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

"Try me!" he told her firmly. Looking around, he grinned when he found an empty alley and dragged her there. Better to make sure no one could hear them, what with their subject of conversation. Slowly, grudgingly, she followed, frowning and biting her lips.

Once he'd made sure they were completely alone and no one could listen in, he turned toward her with a grin, because really, no matter what she told him, it was Rose! His Rose! Besides, it couldn't be that bad, really. "So?" he prompted.

"It's complicated," she sighed, heavily leaning against a wall.

"Let's start with your age, then," he shrugged. "Which Rose am I talking to?"

"That's what I mean, when I said it's complicated." She bit her lip, hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Physically, I'm eighteen," she told him and he nodded, because, really, he could tell. "Mentally though, I'm about twenty-one, maybe even twenty-two. Even time didn't meant anything to me anymore in the end."

"In the end of what?" he asked, frowning.

Taking another deep breath, she told him, "Okay, here's the thing. You probably won't believe me..."

"Rose," he interrupted her with a smirk. "We both traveled with the Doctor and we've seen things normal people couldn't even imagine. Remember those disgusting bugs?" He shivered and so did she.

"Okay." She nodded hesitantly. "Here's the thing. As I've told you, I'm actually a twenty-something in the body of an eighteen year old me. Don't know what the date is now, but in about two years for me, the Doctor and I will face Daleks and Cybermen. If things go the same this time, I'll end up trapped in a parallel world. It'll take me about two years to come back only to have the Doctor leave me there again."

"What?!" Jack exclaimed. That was absolutely crazy! Not the traveling in time bit – he was a time traveler himself after all – but the fact the Doctor would leave her in a parallel world. The man was in love with her! The only one who apparently didn't notice that were Rose and the Doctor. How could he ever leave her? That made absolutely no sense.

"Told you it was hard to believe. I'm actually from the..."

"No. Not that." Jack interrupted her. "He abandoned you? You mean I'm not the only one he did that to?"

She winced and he frowned apologetically. "Sorry, that was out of line. Continue please."

"Jack..."

"Continue!" he told her firmly. "Explain to me how he could leave you there again after you came back to him."

She stared at him for a while before nodding. "There was a meta-crisis when Do... a friend of the Doctor touched his ha... something of his which extrapolated his DNA as well as hers, creating another half-human Doctor."

"Another Doctor?" he repeated, eyebrows high on his forehead. Then he grinned. "I can't even tell you what I'm thinking right now."

She giggled. "That's what you said the last time too!" she told him.

"I was there?" he asked, interested. So that meant he would come in contact with the Doctor in the future, he thought with satisfaction. Good, he'd start of by kissing him before killing him. Rose would have to find herself a new man. He'd offer himself.

"Jack? Jack!" He jumped, suddenly brought back to present.

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

She grinned, her tongue touching her teeth. "Still thinking of the two Doctors?"

"And you thrown in the mix as an extra bonus," he leered at her, making her giggle. "You know, usually, my pick-ups don't laugh when I proposition them," he told her haughtily, hoping to hear her giggle again.

She did. "I'm not one of your pick-ups, Jack. No way in hell."

He shrugged. "Your loss." Then he focused again. "So another Doctor? Were you in heaven or what?"

She sighed. "A half-human Doctor," she told him. "Specifically the ageing part."

"Oh." And suddenly, it made sense. It made a hell lot of sense. He remembered a conversation, a lifetime or two ago.

* * *

_Rose was asleep, and Jack had joined the Doctor in the console room to tinker away at the TARDIS. Somehow, the ship always needed some sort of reparation or another. He'd been with them for a few days at that point, and he'd noticed the way they looked at each other. The warning glare the Doctor gave him every time he flirted with Rose, clearly staking his claim on her. At first, he'd thought they were together, but he'd had to reconsider when the most he'd ever saw them do was hold hands or hug, also, there were times when they both were choking on awkwardness. Besides, he'd checked and Rose had her own bedroom where she slept all alone every night while the Doctor was busying himself with his ship. Not being one for subtlety, Jack had asked, "So what's up with you and Rose?"_

_The Doctor hadn't even turned his head toward him. "What do you mean?"_

"_I mean, what are you waiting for? The girl looks at you with her big doe eyes every minute of every day. She's just waiting for you to kiss her."_

_The Doctor had faltered a bit. "I don't know what you're talking about."_

_Jack had shrugged. "Okay, the other way around. If looks could kill, I'd die over a thousand times a day. Talk about possessive."_

"_There's a difference between possessive and protective Jack," the Doctor had told him, finally turning toward him. "Rose's completely innocent compared to you."_

"_What are you saying? That I'm a beast?"_

_The Doctor had grinned. "Little bit, yeah."_

_Jack had grinned too because, yeah, he was, before turning serious again. "Still, you're not protective, old man, you're possessive. The 'Hands off the blonde' aura you exude makes it very clear to everyone."_

"_Jack," the Doctor had sighed. "What are you saying?"_

"_What I'm sayin' is she wants you, you want her so... What the hell are you waiting for?"_

"_Jack," the Doctor had sighed again, a huge, weary sigh. "Even if that was true, and I'm not saying it is, I'm over 900 years old."_

"_You don't look a day over forty," he'd answered with a grin, because in his book, the Doctor had just admitted what he'd known ever since the very first second he'd seen him. The man was in love with Rose. He'd sighed internally, there went his chance with either of them. He knew even his charm would never manage to convince them to share with him. Oh well, he'd still have a lot of fun trying though._

"_Still to old to be with a nineteen year old," the Doctor had answered curtly._

"_She doesn't seem to mind," he'd reminded him. Really. She didn't mind at all!_

"_I'm an alien," he'd tried then._

"_Where I'm from, it doesn't mean anything. B'sides, you look human. None would be the wiser."_

"_Her mum hates me." They'd told him – or rather, Rose had told him while the Doctor pouted – about the twelve months fiasco. He was grasping at straws there._

"_You hate her too."_

"_I don't. I may not like her very much, but I don't hate her either."_

"_I'm sure she doesn't either." He'd grinned. He was having a lot of fun. "If only because you make her baby girl happy. And think about it, you could make her even more happy by giving her what she really wants."_

_The Doctor had showed signs of increasing irritation as Jack shot down his excuses but he had ignored him. He'd never been one to back out when he decided to do something and he'd never really learned to stop playing with fire before he got burned. So he wasn't surprised to see the Doctor snap, "Look. You stay out of this before I decide to kick you out. I'm tired of this conversation and I never want to hear you mention those kinds of things in front of Rose or I'll make you regret it. Is that understood?"_

_Jack had no trouble believing him. His first assessment of the man was that he was a soldier, and a good one at that. But still, he didn't understand. "But why?" he insisted. "I don't get it. You both want it, why don't you give in?"_

_Finally fed up, the Doctor spat, "Because she's going to die! That's why."_

_An iron fist had suddenly closed around Jack's heart. "Is she..."_

"_No." The Doctor had rolled his eyes. "But what's a human lifespan? Seventy? Eighty? Even if she stays with me for the rest of her life, she'll grow old while I stay the same, and when she dies..." He swallowed. Hard. "I'm not sure I'll survive the death of Rose my best friend, so the death of Rose my lover..." Jack had frowned but the Doctor wasn't finished yet. "Since you've asked so insistently, yes, I really do love her, more than anything, but I prefer to keep what little of my sanity I have left and to do so, I have to keep her at arm's length. We'll never really be more than the best of friends."_

"_But..." Jack had started, wracking his brain to try and wrap it around this declaration. "What if she eventually grows tired of waiting and meets someone else?"_

_The pained expression on the Doctor's face belied his casual shrug. "If that's what she really wants..." Somehow Jack really doubted it. No man alive was that altruistic. He wondered briefly and uncharitably if the Doctor wouldn't keep her tethered to him with flirts and occasional hugs, giving her hope that maybe, someday, something more would come out of it. It would keep her from ever pursuing an eventual love with someone else. He knew the Doctor wouldn't be that cruel but he might unconsciously do it. Frowning he'd swore to himself to keep an eye on things._

* * *

But then, there'd been Cardiff, and Raxacoricofallapatorius, and Kyoto and Satellite Five and he hadn't seen them since.

Although, it seemed that even if the Doctor had indeed let her go, she hadn't wanted to be.

"Yeah, oh," she told him and he brought his attention back to her. "The Doctor decided I was better off with his half-human version and brought me back to the parallel world with him." He wondered why he'd brought her back there? Why not let her live in this world? Because he couldn't resist going back to her then? Because he couldn't bear to risk seeing her with his other self, living the life he desperately wanted?

"You disagreed though." It was a statement not a question.

"Of course I did. How could that stupid man ever think I'd be better with a doppelgänger? Not that John wasn't a great guy, mind, he really was. But he wasn't my Doctor."

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Ever since he'd met her, his tastes in women had leaned toward grinning blondes, but they were just a reminder of what he was missing. Having a carbon copy of the Doctor though...he couldn't even begin to imagine what she'd gone through.

"I totally lost it, Jack," she told him, frowning. "I wasted away, unable to live without him. And John's presence didn't help at all. The worst part though, was that he had the Doctor's memory, and feelings." She shifted and winced in pain, and Jack wanted to ask her what was wrong but she was so lost in her thoughts, in painful memories that he couldn't do anything but listen. "The poor guy was in love with me, but every time I saw him, I ended up in tears." He winced, unable to even imagine a life like that, watching her suffer day after day, unable to do anything to help. "I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep... I was a mess."

Frowning, he studied her. Her haunted eyes made more sense now. "How did you manage to come back? In your past body?"

She shrugged. "The TARDIS brought me back."

_What?_ "The TARDIS? The Doctor's TARDIS?" How could a ship ever do that?

She giggled. "The TARDIS is much more sentient than you seem to think. She came to me in the form of a crazy woman and offered to bring me back."

His eyebrows were so high he was sure they'd disappeared into his hair. "Seriously?!"

"I jumped at the opportunity. And that's the craziest thing ever. One second I was at the mansion, the next, I was in the TARDIS, shortly after I met the Doctor for the very first time."

"Rose, that's..." He searched for the right word. _Crazy? Amazing? Impossible? Unbelievable?_

She nodded. "I know, right? But I swear to you, Jack, it's the truth."

He chuckled. "I do believe you, sweetheart. If there's one woman who could ever do that, it's you."

She grinned at him. "I missed you so much," she told him with a hug.

He hugged her back, tightly, once more. He could just imagine what a wreck Rose had been in this other world and what a wreck the Doctor must have been as well. Wondered if he did eventually lose his mind over her absence. That was the scariest thought ever. He wondered what a man like the Doctor would do if he ever lost his mind...

"So now you're going to relive everything you guys already went through, right? How do you feel about that?"

"It's totally crazy, Jack. I mean there's so many things I know now and so many lives I'll be able to save. As a matter of fact, I already did," she told him proudly.

He grinned. Rose was probably one of the most compassionate women he'd ever met. Then he frowned. "Rose, if there's one thing time-traveling has taught me, it's that some deaths are inevitable, you know. I don't want you to risk your life to save everyone. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you."

She grinned. "Yeah, I know." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Jack."

Then she hesitated. "Jack?" she questioned. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything sweetheart," he told her fondly. She probably was the only woman he couldn't ever refuse anything.

"How do you feel about your immortality?"

He startled, before frowning. "You know about that?" She nodded hesitantly and he asked, "How do you know about it?"

She bit her lip before replying, "Because I'm the one who made you immortal."

"You what?!" he shouted, and she winced. "When? How?" he asked in a softer voice.

"On Satellite Five. When the Doctor sent me away, I opened the heart of the TARDIS to come back."

"You what?!" he shouted again. "Rose, you knew what it did to that Slitheen! What if it did the same to you? How could you be so..."

"A war was going on, Jack!" she interrupted sharply. "You saw the fleet of Daleks that were threatening the universe. Both you and the Doctor were in danger. You actually died there! And so did..." She deflated immediately and fell silent.

He was incensed at the mere idea that she put herself in danger like that but rationalized that everything went well since she was talking to him right now. Taking a deep breath, he therefore asked, "Continue, please."

She took a deep breath before continuing, "I opened the heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the Time Vortex..."

He wanted to yell at her again for being so crazy but she was actually giving him the answers he'd waited so long for, so he kept silent. "I came back to Satellite Five and destroyed the Daleks, putting an end – I believed – to the Time War."

"And what about me?" he insisted. He wanted to let her take her time, he really did, but he'd waited so long! So very long.

"You were already dead, by the time I came back," she told him softly. "I didn't...couldn't accept it, so I brought you back."

His breath caught in his throat. She'd brought him back from the dead because she couldn't bear the thought he was gone! No one, no one had ever felt that way about him, he was sure! Something indescribable overwhelmed him and he fell in love all over again. "Rose..."

"But I messed up. I brought you back forever, Jack, and I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry," she told him with a shaky voice.

"Don't!" he interrupted her quickly. "Don't you ever dare apologize for that. Do you know how I feel right now, knowing you couldn't accept my death? Knowing you made me immortal? Do you know how much I love you for that?" he questioned sincerely, hugging her tight.

She gave a little chuckle. "I was going to ask if you wanted me to bring you back again..."

"Yes," he immediately told her. "I'm way to awesome to die on a stupid satellite!" She grinned a secretive smile, indicating that she wasn't telling him something but he figured she had a good reason. "How long before we meet?"

"A long time, we've just gone to Plateform One. How about here?"

He grinned. "You bombed Downing Street three months ago."

"It was Mickey, actually," she grinned.

"Ricky the idiot," he mused. "I'm impressed."

"Oh, he won't stay Ricky the idiot forever you know," she told him, with a huge smile. "One day, he'll be Mickey Smith, Defender of the Earth."

"Hmm. Good man!" He grinned.

"Yeah. Look, I should go back to the Doctor. I told him I'd only be a few minutes and I don't want him to worry..." She was the one looking worried and he frowned.

"Something wrong?"

She straightened up, wincing. "No. We just... He just doesn't totally trust me yet and I don't want him thinking I ran away." She sighed, before lightening up. "I'll miss you Jack. This you."

He grinned. Because again, he knew the feeling. Suddenly inspired, he held his hand out. "Gimme your phone."

With an answering smile, she pulled it out and handed it to him. "You got a phone now?"

"Yeah. They don't have my favourite communicators yet," he told her, entering his number into her phone. "There you go!" he said with a grin, handing her her phone back. "I won't ever change my number so call me whenever!"

She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely before kissing his cheek. "I love you, Jack."

He kissed her back, but being himself, he kissed her on the lips, making her snort. "I love you too, sweetheart." Stepping back, she grinned at him, and slowly walked away.

He watched her go with a heavy heart, already missing her once more, but comforted to know he had a way to reach her now.

There was no way he was letting her out of his life ever again. Not a chance in hell!

* * *

**Sooo... What do you say, guys? Worth the wait? Lemme know!**


	8. The Unquiet Dead I

**Here we go, sorry for the wait! Still busy with my finals, unfortunately but I want to thank each and everyone of you for the reviews! You guys are awesome!**

**That's another huge chapter, here, I had to break it in three. Hope you'll enjoy it!**

**Beta'ed by the great hawkerin!**

* * *

**The Unquiet Dead (1/3)**

* * *

The trip back to the chippy had Rose starting to limp. Her body was so heavy, clumsy, and she tripped more than once. The exhaustion was killing her. Was she in such a bad shape when she met the Doctor? She couldn't remember but she sure could feel it!

Approaching the chippy, she took a deep breath and tried to walk as normally as possible. She didn't want to show the Doctor how tired she was. And even less how in pain she was. Her arms hung heavily at her side, still pulsing from the effort of keeping the breaker lever down and her legs barely supported her weight. Luckily, thanks to his wonderful cream, her skin didn't burn anymore. There was at least that!

When she entered the chippy, she immediately found herself under the scrutiny of the Doctor. He had to have been staring at the door. The huge, warm grin he gave her was tinted with relief. He really had doubted she'd come back!

"There you are!" he exclaimed, quickly making his way to her. "Caught your friend?"

"Yeah." She grinned at him, stepping closer. "Felt like I hadn't seen him in a lifetime!"

He grinned back and she wondered if she was hallucinating the tightness around his eyes at the mention of a 'him.' Sighing, she decided she was probably seeing what she wanted to see. A sign of jealousy like she knew he would show later on. Shaking her head at her own stupidity, she grinned. "Ready to get me back in that blue box?"

He nodded and grabbed her hand to return to their home. The walk back was silent, with Rose concentrating on walking as naturally as possible since she didn't want to attract the Doctor's attention.

Once they reached the TARDIS, she sighed with relief, stepping in the still cooler-than-usual console room. _I'm good now, Girlfriend._ She thought, and the TARDIS slowly returned to her usual temperature. _Thanks._

"Right," the Doctor said, clapping his hands, "where to now? How about a trip in the past this time?" he suggested enthusiastically.

She bit her lip, hesitating a bit, before deciding she couldn't wait. "Actually, I'd prefer to freshen up a bit first if you don't mind." The Doctor's grin slipped a bit, and she bit back a giggle at his obvious disappointment. He was always so impatient to run head first into whatever was waiting for them. "Maybe take a bath, if you don't mind..." She was hoping a good soak would do her body good.

He smiled gently at her. "Of course. I forgot how easily humans tire. Take this corridor and pick any room you want. The TARDIS will decorate it for you," he told her, pointing down the hallway. She grinned, she only got her room after Downing Street the last time around, when the Doctor had been sure she was staying and she took it as a good sign that the Doctor was slowly warming to her presence and accepting that she was here to stay.

Unable to wipe the broad smile from her face, she slowly stepped into the labyrinth-like corridor.

* * *

The TARDIS had helpfully brought their bedrooms to the front of the corridor. As soon as she stepped in, she was welcomed by another sight she had thought she'd never see again. Her bedroom door, with it's golden rose engraved in the dark mahogany wood. And right across from it, the Doctor's door, with its golden circles she now knew were High Gallifreyan. Slowly, she stroked the curved words, wondering what they meant, before turning toward her bedroom. _What do you have for me, Girlfriend?_

She slowly opened the door, and sighed when she saw the design the TARDIS had chosen for her. The high walls were a soft purple with a white horizontal band in the middle of it. Right across from her was a huge window, which she knew would show her anything she wanted. It was currently showing her stars in deep space. On her left, a huge closet was already brimming with clothes she knew the TARDIS had chosen for her from the wardrobe room, there was still space left for whatever she'd buy or add. Next to it, the door leading to her en suite bathroom was slightly ajar, beckoning her in.

On her right, there was a huge canopy bed, in dark mahogany, with a white comforter and huge fluffy pillow. She so wanted to lay down for a bit but she knew that the second she did, she'd never want to get up again. She didn't know where the TARDIS found her mattresses, but it felt like laying on air, it was so comfortable. A deep, fluffy, pale pink rug was laid down on each side of the bed just in front of the twin night stands. On each of them was a small globe, glowing softly. An ancient-looking clock was ticking on one of the night stands as well.

Next to the window, was a mahogany coiffeuse, with a huge mirror and comfy chair. All her make-up was already piled up on it. There were also several small jewellery boxes, some already brimming with bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings.

All over the room, there were asymmetrical shelves, all empty, waiting for her to fill them with trinkets, knick-knacks, and pictures of her trips. The TARDIS knew how much she loved to collect souvenirs from their trips.

"It's perfect!" she breathed, and the TARDIS hummed happily at the back of her head. "Absolutely perfect, girlfriend!"

Slowly, she made her way toward the bathroom. She stepped in the room and walked directly toward the huge bathtub, with its clawed feet she so loved and started to draw herself a bath. While the water was running, she looked around her. In a corner of the room, there was a huge glass shower, filled with her bathing products. A black sink was sitting under a huge mirror, with shelves covered filled with her beauty products on each side of it. She only gave a cursory glance at her exhausted face before approaching the bathtub again. She grabbed the bath salts sitting on the edge and poured some in before slowly undressing. When she was down to her underwear, she stepped back in the room to grab a huge fluffy towel. By the time she came back, the TARDIS had added a rack for her to hang it. _Thanks, girlfriend. _She then finished undressing and tied her hair up high on her head. Her body felt heavier by the minute and she sighed in relief when she finally slipped into the water.

Once settled in the comfortably hot water, she sighed as she felt her body finally unwind a bit. It had only been a few hours since the TARDIS brought her back from the parallel world but she felt like it had been years. So many things had happened and tears finally started to roll down her cheeks as she allowed herself to admit that she was really back. Slowly, sobs started to wrack her body as she thought of her mum, and dad, and little brother Tony. As she thought of John, and Mickey, and Jake. All the people she had left behind without any hesitation just to come back to her Doctor. As she thought of Jack, so old that people forgot his name. As she thought of the Doctor, the man who'd been so lonely before she came along, who was so hesitant to believe now that she was here to stay. As she thought of the other Doctor, in this other timeline she was hoping to avoid this time, still so lonely because he did what he thought best for her. As she thought of herself, abandoned by the man she loved, because he wanted her to have everything he could never give her. She cried for a long time, pouring all her pain and agony out, all her exhaustion and anger. And then her physical exhaustion must have gotten the best of her because she knew no more.

She woke up some time later, it could be an hour or twelve, she had no idea. Blinking against the brightly lit room, the TARDIS wake-up call along with the urgent humming at the back of her head, she shivered, the water was quite cold. She pushed herself out of the bathtub slowly, wrapping the fluffy towel around her more-relaxed body and padding back in the room to dress up.

She was untying her hair when there was a knock on the door. "Rose? You in there?" the Doctor asked through the door.

"Yeah, come in!" she called.

The Doctor entered slowly, looking around with interest and grinned when he found her ready to go. "Feeling better?" he asked.

She grinned happily and replied, "Much!"

"Funny, that's not what the TARDIS seems to think..." the Doctor told her skeptically.

She frowned. _Girlfriend?_ She thought and the TARDIS hummed worriedly at the back of her head.

"She made it clear that you were in pain. Why didn't you say anything?" he asked.

"T'was nothing a bath couldn't cure," she muttered. _Seriously, girlfriend, what did you show him?_ The TARDIS send her images of herself, limping around her room, walking so slowly, and wincing in pain. _I feel much better now. Don't worry._

"You should have told me," the Doctor lectured, frowning unhappily. "I wouldn't think any less of you. I don't. You helped me save those people, Rose, and I didn't have the opportunity to thank you for your help. I couldn't have done it without you."

_But you could have_, she thought. _Although the price would have been much higher_. _What are a few bruises in exchange for all those lives?_

She grinned. "I'm sure you'd have found a way."

"Yeah," he admitted, with a grin of his own. That man! "But I think we make a good team, and I'm happy I didn't have to find out how to do it on my own," he told her with a smile, before patting his pockets. "Here," he said when he found what he was looking for. He handed her a small wooden box, and she opened it curiously to find what looked like hundred of tiny seeds. "On the outskirts of the universe, there's a tiny galaxy called the Persephone's belt. The galaxy's composed of six planets, each revolving around its own sun and they are all covered with flowers. The Persephian harvest those flowers to make the best medicinal herbs known to the universe. What you're holding right now are the most efficient painkillers, non-addictive, non-toxic, no after-effect. These medicines are the most expensive you could ever find, and quite frankly, they really are worth it."

She shook her head. "I can't accept it if it's so expensive. Some basic painkillers from my time will do just as well."

He chuckled. "I didn't spend a dime on it."

_Should have known! _She rolled her eyes. "What did you do? Go before they started selling it?"

He grinned, "Exactly. I helped their king so they were quite grateful. Anytime I need some sort of medicine, I go back there. The point is, this is the best medicine the universe can offer, and I want you to have it."

She hugged him. "Thank you very much." She popped one of the seeds in her mouth and though she gagged at the taste, the pain and heaviness immediately disappeared. "Wow!" she breathed, "This is totally awesome."

He grinned at her. "Now you're ready to go." She nodded, starting toward the door but he grabbed her arm before she could move. "I meant what I said earlier, though, if you ever are in pain, I want you to tell me. I can only help if I know something's wrong, okay?" She nodded. "Promise me you'll tell me. Sometimes, I forget that people have needs different from mine. Just because I can go on very little sleep, doesn't mean that you can. Just because I have a very high pain threshold, doesn't mean that you do. Just because I can't go on without eating, doesn't mean that you can...So you have to tell me, okay? Because I don't always remember. And I don't want you to push yourself because you think you need to prove something to me." He grinned. "Believe me, you already did!"

She grinned at him. She couldn't remember a time where the Doctor had ever admitted it. He usually looked irritated when she had human needs before. Having him tell her that she'd proved herself filled her with happiness and she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him for all she was worth and kissed his cheek in thanks before bounding out of her bedroom, the Doctor hot on her heels.

* * *

"Right," he said, when they stepped in the console room. "So we've traveled in the future, how about we go to the past, this time?"

She grinned. "Works for me."

He grinned too. "I know exactly where I want to take you."

_And you'll get it completely wrong_, she thought, smirking. He approached the console and started programming their destination.

He pulled the lever and pumped the controls, sending the TARDIS spinning out of the vortex but the ship lurched, sending them flying. _Ow, girlfriend!_ The TARDIS hummed apologetically in the back of her mind. The Doctor jumped to his feet and so did Rose. He grabbed the controls and pointed at one for Rose to help with. Trying to find her balance, she grabbed it, pulling it firmly as the Doctor watched the console, frowning.

"Hold that one down!" he ordered her, jerking his head toward another lever.

Rose frowned, evaluating the distance between the two. "I'm holding this one down."

"Well, hold them both down," he told her exasperatedly.

"It's not going to work," she grumbled, trying to stretch across the console. Too short, of course.

"Oi! I promised you a time machine and that's what you're getting. Now, you've seen the future, let's have a look at the past. 1860. How does 1860 sound?" the Doctor asked her, still holding tight on the commands.

"What happened in 1860?" She asked, still trying to reach the lever. Finally giving up, she send a mental apology to the TARDIS before slamming her feet on the lever, under the Doctor's bemused eyes. The TARDIS grumbled at the back of her head, sending her an image of the next Doctor keeping levers down with his feet. _Really? I'm the one who gave him the idea._ The ship hummed disapprovingly. _Sorry Girlfriend._

Looking back at her with an approving grin, he told her, "I don't know, let's find out. Hold on, here we go!" He pushed a button and the TARDIS lurched one last time, much harder than the previous tremors and they both fell heavily. Rose briefly closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "Blimey!"

"You're telling me," the Doctor chuckled. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Nothing broken." She grinned. "Did we make it? Where are we?"

"I did it." The Doctor grinned triumphantly. "Give the man a medal. Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860."

"It's Christmas.!" Rose exclaimed delightedly. She loved Christmas! Ever since she was a kid. The only regret she had was that milkshake didn't exist yet. It was a personal tradition of hers, she always drank a chocolate milkshake with a cherry on top on Christmas day.

"All yours." The Doctor grinned.

"But, it's like, think about it, though. Christmas. 1860. Happens once, just once and it's gone, it's finished, it'll never happen again. Except for you." Rose said, because really, no matter how long she traveled with the Doctor, she would always marvel at that. "You can go back and see days that are dead and gone a hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never stay still." _And you tried to take it away from me._ The TARDIS hummed hesitantly at the back of her head, showing her an image of John. _I know, girlfriend. He thought that was the best for me. But it wasn't his decision to make._

"Not a bad life."

She grabbed his hand to squeeze it. "Better with two." She started, intending to go to the wardrobe before realising she wasn't supposed to know where it was yet. Therefore, she checked her outfit and sighed, "I probably need to find something more appropriate to wear."

The Doctor grinned. "Yeah, you'd probably start a riot dressed like that! There's a wardrobe through there. First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on your left. Hurry up!" Strangely, the TARDIS never moved the wardrobe around, unlike the other rooms. The first time around, she'd gotten lost looking for it, but now, she could go there with her eyes closed. _I want the same dress as the last time, girlfriend,_ she thought when she reached the door. The TARDIS hummed approvingly and when she pushed the door, the dress was put up in the middle of the room, under a bright spotlight. Grinning, she quickly changed, thanking the TARDIS for the corset tying machine it provided, and put her hair up in an elegant but simple style. The TARDIS had brought out black heels to go with the dress, but Rose shook her head. There was no way she was risking breaking a shin. Approaching the racks containing thousands of pairs of shoes, she thought _Show me some boots, girlfriend_, and the TARDIS obligingly brought the right rack forward. She quickly grabbed a sturdy, comfortable-looking pair of boots, figuring that no-one could see them under her dress and put them on, sure they were her size. She quickly tied them up, and took a few hesitant steps with them before grinning; they were perfect. Standing in front of the huge artist mirror, lit up by thousands of tiny lamps, she put some light make-up on, just a bit of a blush on her cheeks and some lipstick before grinning at her reflection and returning to the Doctor.

* * *

By the time she made it back to him, the Doctor was working under the console with only his legs sticking out. She bit back a giggle and cleared her throat. The Doctor quickly stood up, barely avoiding knocking himself out with the console and while he was grinning, his jaw went slack when he took in her appearance. "Blimey!"

She smiled and did a little spin.

"You look beautiful," the Doctor told her sincerely.

"For a human?" she teased.

He shook his head. "Just beautiful."

She grinned at his compliment, before frowning playfully. "Aren't you going to change?"

"I've changed my jumper," the Doctor told her haughtily, and she bit back a giggle. "Come on."

He stepped toward the door but Rose quickly grabbed his arm, holding him back. "You stay there. You've done this before," she told him. "This is mine."

She bounded down the ramp and opened the door, stepping on the pure white snow covering the ground. Luckily, she'd thought to take a shawl with her and she wrapped it around her shoulders while the Doctor joined her. "Ready for this?" She nodded. "Here we go. History."

He offered her his arm, and she took it, and together, they stepped in what she knew was a Cardiff street.

"I love Christmas," she told the Doctor as they walked in the darkened street. "It's my favourite season of the year."

"Really?" He grinned.

"Yeah," she said pleasantly, savouring the quiet atmosphere of Christmas Night before what she knew was waiting for them. "It's on Christmas day that I met my first love."

"Ooooh," he smirked. "How old were you?"

"Eleven or twelve, I think." She told him fondly as they passed a journal stand. "I'm not sure. My memories of him are completely fuzzy." The Doctor faltered a bit and the TARDIS hummed merrily at the back of her head. "I just remember that it was Christmas. And I think we had a milkshake together." She shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I've gotten one every Christmas day since then."

"Really?" he asked, and she frowned. He sounded a bit weird. As she opened her mouth to question him further, they heard a scream.

The Doctor grinned, shrugging a little so that her hand slid from his arm to his hand and exclaimed, "That's more like it!" before breaking into a run. She clumsily followed him, trying to lift her heavy dress enough to properly run and grinned as well. She absolutely loved it.

* * *

The Doctor pushed through the throngs of people running out of the theatre, dragging her behind him, and he stopped so suddenly in his tracks when he reached the auditorium that she almost crashed into him. Distractedly, he grabbed her arm to help her regain her balance as he stared at the scene unfolding in front of them. "Fantastic," he breathed, as the blue gas emerged from the corpse and started to float everywhere.

Still dragging Rose behind him, he rushed toward who she knew to be Charles Dickens. "Did you see where it came from?"

"Ah!" Dickens exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at them. "The wags reveal themselves, don't they? I trust you're satisfied, sir!"

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Sneed and Gwyneth pick up the corpse of the old lady who'd been possessed by the Gelth and she frowned, not in any hurry to be drugged again.

"Oi! Doctor, I'll get them."

He turned toward her and squeezed her hand. "Be careful!" However, his excitation soon overwhelmed him and he turned back to Dickens. "Did it say anything? Can it speak? I'm the Doctor, by the way." Rose grinned when she heard him babble excitedly.

Her grin turned to a snort when she heard Dickens remark "Doctor? You look more like a navvie," as she was hurrying away. And into a full chuckle when she heard the Doctor's insulted tone, "What's wrong with this jumper?"

Rose hurriedly made her way out of the empty theatre and watched as Gwyneth pushed the corpse into the hearse. "Gwyneth!" she called.

The servant whirled around but didn't seem surprised to hear her name spoken by a stranger. Rose assumed her ability made it harder to surprise her. "Oh, it's a tragedy, Miss," Gwyneth told her, trying to hide the corpse from view. "Don't worry yourself. Me and the master will deal with it. The fact is, this poor lady's been taken with the brain fever and we have to get her to the infirmary."

"She's dead," Rose said and when she saw Gwyneth's eyes widen, she whirled around, catching Sneed trying to sneak up behind her, the chloroform cloth in his hand. Frowning, she opened her mouth to tell them they could help but Sneed grabbed her head and bashed it against the door of the hearse.

The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was Gwyneth horrified voice asking, "What did you do that for?"

* * *

When she came to, she was in that awful chapel of rest, laid down on the altar, but contrary to the last time, when she'd just had a mild headache, her blood was pounding in her ears and each pulse was wracking her head in pain. It took her a moment to remember that Sneed had actually knocked her out, this time, the little weasel! There was something else she had to remember though. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the painful pounding of her head to concentrate. Something important, very important...vital even. When she heard heavy footsteps approaching her, she suddenly remembered, she was stuck with two zombie-like alien-possessed corpses!

She jumped to her feet and almost fell down due to her suddenly spinning head. Wincing, she staggered toward the door, as far as possible from the two corpses slowly approaching her. She started pounding on the door, trying to ignore the pain that brought tears to her eyes. "Let me out!" she tried to scream, but her voice was barely above a whisper. Taking a deep breath, she tried again, "Open the door! Please, please, let me out! Doctor!"

The corpses were still stalking towards her, controlled by those monstrous aliens, confident she had nowhere to run. Her head was spinning more and more, and she was starting to fear she would pass out, leaving herself vulnerable to become another vessel. Finally, she heard raised voices in the corridor, and she pounded the door even harder. "Let me out! Somebody open the door! Open the door!"

She felt cold hands on her bare arm, and she whirled around, ready to fight. She certainly would go down fighting. Luckily, the Doctor chose that instant to kick the door in, and he barely took a second to take the situation in before grabbing her arm. "I think this is my dance!" he said happily, pulling Rose away from the corpse and backing her away. The sudden movement had her head spinning out of control, and, eyes closed, she grabbed the Doctor's arm to stay upright. She felt him slip an arm around her waist.

Dickens insisted, "It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence."

"No, we're not. The dead are walking," the Doctor answered curtly. "Hi," he added in a softer voice.

"Hi," Rose replied, opening her eyes to find the Doctor staring at her, frowning. "Who's your friend?"

"Charles Dickens," he answered impatiently. "What did they do to you?" he asked her.

She shrugged, trying to downplay what had happened. "Introduced me to a door."

A wave of fury passed over the Doctor's face and he whirled around, glaring at Sneed. Rose grabbed his arm, trying to turn his attention away while the man stepped back, wringing his hands. "Doctor, it's talking!"

The Doctor stopped in his tracks, frowning and turned toward her, staring at her while the Gelth spoke as one, "Failing. Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us. Argh!"

The bodies collapsed on themselves, but the Doctor didn't even blink. His jaw was working frantically and he slowly brushed the bump on the side of her head, making her wince. "We're leaving," he told her in a tight, controlled voice. Rose startled, totally surprised. "Doctor?"

"We are leaving," he repeated, turning a murderous glare toward Sneed. "Before I lose my cool completely."

"But sir," Sneed simpered. "You said you knew what was going on. I thought you could help."

"That was before I found out what you did to my companion!" the Doctor snapped angrily, pulling his sonic screwdriver to scan her head.

"It's just a bump," she told him comfortingly and he nodded.

"Shame on you, sir!" Dickens added, with a sneer. "Assaulting a defenceless child like that."

"But..." Sneed started as the Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and started tugging her. "We are leaving, Rose."

"Doctor..." Rose started, frowning as her head continued to spin. "We..."

"I don't care, Rose," he interrupted sharply. "He knocked you out! He can rot for all I care."

"But the dead are rising, sir," Gwyneth begged. "If you can help us, you have to. Please sir, they..."

"Please," Sneed interrupted her, begging. The flames vacillated when the blue gas started dancing around the lamps, and whispers filled the corridor. "They won't stop," he told them in a shaky voice. "They never stop anymore. The old hag killed her own son today." He turned supplicating eyes to the Doctor. "Won't you help?"

* * *

**So, guys? How about this chapter? Worth the wait?**


	9. The Unquiet Dead II

**Here we go, sorry for the wait guys! I'm finally done with my finals (and I already know I aced some of them :D) but my third year starts next week, so unfortunately, I can't tell you I'll have more time to focus on that story of mine. But all your wonderful reviews are just what I need for some motivation! :D So thanks for them!**

**Beta'ed by the great hawkerin!**

* * *

**The Unquiet Dead (2/3)**

* * *

It took a lot of convincing on Rose's part to get the Doctor to agree to listen to Sneed's story. She'd never thought the Doctor would react so strongly. He'd been quite amused the last time but then she hadn't been physically hurt. Gwyneth's fear and uncanny ability had helped piquing his interest as well, and of course, he couldn't resist showing off to Dickens. Although she'd rather be anywhere else, Rose knew they needed to stop the Gelth and she was currently wracking her brain – her still painful brain – to find a way to do so without sacrificing Gwyneth.

They were in some some sort of parlour and Gwyneth was pouring everyone some tea. Dickens was standing in the corner of the room, as far as possible from anyone else, as if he feared their perceived madness was contagious. Sneed was sitting on a chair, wringing his hands. The Doctor stood by the fireplace, glaring daggers at him, and Rose was rubbing her painful temples, trying to find a way out of all this.

"You'd better start to explain," the Doctor growled, irritated by the simpering man.

"It's this house," Sneed whimpered as Gwyneth brought Rose a cup of tea.

"I'm sorry you don't have the herbs your Doctor gave you earlier, Miss," Gwyneth told her with a sad smile and Rose caught the Doctor's surprised and interested expression. She could almost see the wheels turning in his head and she frowned. She didn't want Gwyneth caught up in this again.

"Haunted," the undertaker was saying when Rose tuned in again. "But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs, the er, dear departed started getting restless."

"Tommyrot," Dickens huffed.

"You witnessed it!" Sneed exclaimed. "Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps."

Rose watched Gwyneth approach the Doctor to place his cup on the mantlepiece beside him. "Two sugars, Sir, just how you like it." The Doctor's stare sharpened and Rose rubbed her temple. Her head was killing her.

"Morbid fancy," Dickens refuted Sneed's words about the old lady.

"Oh, Charles, you were there!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"I saw nothing but an illusion," Dickens stubbornly pushed.

The Doctor had much less patience than usual. "If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time," he snapped. "Just shut up. What about the gas?" he curtly asked Sneed.

"That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that," Sneed simpered.

"Means it's getting stronger," the Doctor mused, thinking to himself. "The rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through."

"The rift?" Rose repeated, playing the ingenue.

The Doctor gave her a small smile. "A weak point in time and space. A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time."

"That's how I got the house so cheap," Sneed confirmed. "Stories going back generations."

Rose watched Charles Dickens leave the room and winced when he slammed the door shut. The Doctor frowned and slowly approached. "I'm fine," she told him and he nodded.

Both of them ignored Sneed as the old man continued, "Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air, and this feeling, like a shadow passing over your soul. Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine."

"I should go check on Charlie," the Doctor said, but he didn't move.

Rose smiled. "I'll go talk to Gwyneth. I have absolutely no intention of staying with that little weasel," she said with a nod toward Sneed, who was still muttering.

The Doctor nodded and grabbed her hand to pull her in the corridor with him. "Be careful," he told her before releasing her hand and Rose smiled.

"I won't start a fight with another door. Promise!" she called after him.

The Doctor grimaced and she smirked. "Too soon?"

"Little bit, yeah. I'll come get you when I'm done with Charlie."

She nodded. "See you then."

* * *

Rubbing her temple, she made her way toward the pantry where Gwyneth was washing the tea cups. "Need some help?"

"I know why you're here, Miss," Gwyneth answered without even looking back at her.

"Oh yeah?" Rose asked, wincing as a sudden burst of pain exploded in her head.

"I'm really sorry for your head, Miss. I didn't know Old Sneed would do that."

"That little weasel," Rose muttered under her breath, making Gwyneth giggle.

"He really does look like one. But he's been real nice to me since I lost my parents to the flu."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Rose told her automatically, and winced when a wolf howled and growled at the back of her mind before quieting down.

"Thank you, Miss." Gwyneth told her; shuddering. "But I'll be with them again soon, sitting in paradise."

"Soon," Rose repeated, and Gwyneth grinned at her, a huge, happy smile. "As I've said, I know why you're here, Miss. I can see it all in your head now that the Bad Wolf is asleep again. It is the strangest thing. We have already discussed this in this room, and I know what will happen to me," she told her peacefully.

"But..." Rose started to protest.

"As your very old friend told you, you can't save everyone, no matter how much you wish for it, Miss." Gwyneth told her gently. "I know everything, I can see it all in your head. My angels, they're no angels at all. They want to destroy our world. If I don't stop them, we will all die, Miss."

"There has to be another way, Gwyneth," Rose protested.

"But there isn't, Miss." Gwyneth shook her head. "I can see your world in your head. All those people. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying," Gwyneth muttered, her eyes looking a bit wild. "But they won't if we don't stop my angels. I can see a child of my blood, living in this world of yours, working for your old friend, but she won't if we don't stop my angels. And you've come from so far, so far just to be reunited with your Doctor, but you won't if we don't stop my angels. I'm sorry, Miss, I'm so sorry. I know you want to protect me. But you can't. You once were the Big Bad Wolf, a Goddess of time, but you're no God, Miss. It is not your place to decide who lives or dies."

Rose frowned as Gwyneth continued. "I'm sorry, Miss, I'm so sorry. I know you don't want to hear that, but it is the truth." She shook her head. "But I shouldn't have looked in your mind. Especially not when you're weakened. Even if the Bad Wolf allowed me to. I'm sorry, Miss. I shouldn't even talk about it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mam said I had the sight. She told me to hide it."

"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" the Doctor interrupted her, and Rose frowned, wondering how much he'd heard. But he looked so relax and sure of himself, and he was still looking at her with the same expression, affectionate but a bit worried about her head, that she knew he'd just heard Gwyneth's last words.

"All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head," Gwyneth answered him as he approached to brush once more the bump on Rose's head.

"You grew up on top of the rift," the Doctor explained to Gwyneth, still staring in Rose's eyes, the unspoken 'are you okay' hanging in the air between them. Rose smiled at him with a nod and he nodded back before continuing to address Gwyneth. "You're part of it. You're the key."

"I've tried to make sense of it, Sir," Gwyneth told him regretfully. "Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts."

"Well, that should help," the Doctor said, his eyes dancing with excitement as he grabbed Rose's hand. "You can show us what to do."

"What to do where, Sir?" Gwyneth questioned.

The Doctor grinned at them both. "We're going to have a séance."

* * *

They went back to living room, where Sneed hadn't moved from his spot and where Dickens was waiting for them. Rose assumed the Doctor had already convinced him since he was muttering under his breath in a corner. The Doctor let go of her hand and quickly set the table before looking at them expectantly. Rose made to sit down but the Doctor tugged her to his side protectively, sitting her between Dickens and him, opposite of Sneed. He himself sat down next to Gwyneth, reminding Rose of a child, sitting the closest to the teacher at school, leaving Sneed on her other side.

Nervously, Gwyneth cleared her throat before starting, "This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists, down in big town. Come, we must all join hands."

"I can't take part in this," Dickens snapped; he'd been going from disbelief to willingness all evening and Rose was starting to have enough. Her headache hadn't helped either!

She opened her mouth to snap at him, but the Doctor was quicker. "Humbug? Come on, open mind."

"This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask," Dickens declared. "Séances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing."

The Doctor chuckled. "Now, don't antagonise her. I love a happy medium," he said, turning toward Rose with a huge grin.

Rose's irritation disappeared as she sniggered at the Doctor's very bad joke. "I can't believe you just said that!"

The Doctor winked at her before turning to Dickens once more. "Come on, we might need you."

With a long-suffering sigh, Dickens sat down between Rose and Sneed.

"Good man!" the Doctor praised. "Now, Gwyneth," he turned toward her. "Reach out."

"Speak to us," Gwyneth started. "Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden."

Whispers started to fill the room, several voices speaking as one and Rose frowned, wracking her brain to find a way to stop it.

"Nothing can happen," Dickens said, denying what they were all hearing. "This is sheer folly."

"Look at her!" Rose snapped, quite fed up with him. Her head was killing her, the voices seemed to fill her whole body, and she couldn't see a way out yet.

"I see them," Gwyneth marvelled. "I feel them."

Gas tendrils started to drift above their heads and the Doctor watched, fascinated. "They can't get through the rift. Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through."

"I can't!" Gwyneth exclaimed, and Rose wondered if maybe it was her survival instinct kicking in, trying to protect her.

"Yes, you can," the Doctor encouraged. "Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link."

Rose wanted to yell at her not to, that they were using her, that they would kill her, but Gwyneth looked right at her, her eyes full of wisdom, knowledge, and acceptance. She smiled a small smile, just for Rose. "Yes," she whispered, and her eyes became glossy as blue shapes appeared behind her.

"Great God!" Sneed exclaimed. "Spirits from the other side."

"The other side of the universe," the Doctor corrected.

"Pity us," the figures began, with a childish voice, and Rose realised it was part of their plan, to make themselves appear as innocent and weak and pitiful as possible. "Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us."

"What do you want us to do?" the Doctor asked urgently as a new wave of pain invaded Rose's sense.

"The rift," the shapes said. "Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge."

The Doctor frowned, so focussed on them he didn't noticed Rose's grimace. "What for?"

"We are so very few," the Gelth said pitifully, still as one, still childish, still through Gwyneth's lips. "The last of our kind. We face extinction."

The Doctor's frown deepened. "Why, what happened?"

"Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came," the childish voices said mourningly. Rose gritted her teeth to try and focus through the painful fog in her mind.

"War?" Dickens intervened. "What war?"

"The Time War," the Gelth told them, and Rose watched the Doctor's face fall completely as he sucked in a breath. "The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged." A sudden hot white fury overwhelmed her as, for the first time, she realised fully how far their manipulation went. Had they recognized the TARDIS or did they have a way to detect Time Lords? Rose didn't know, but she was convinced they knew exactly who the Doctor was and they were using his excruciating guilt against him. "Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."

"So that's why you need the corpses," the Doctor said softly, and Rose could see his decision was already made. The guilt was so strong now, he was desperate for a way to atone, and corpses were a small price to pay in his book.

"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again." _To kill us all, conquer the world..._Rose mentally completed. "We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us."

"But we can't," Rose blurted out, her headache lowering her control.

"Why not?" the Doctor asked hotly, ready to fight tooth and nail for what he thought was right.

But so was Rose. "It's not..." The TARDIS hummed warningly at the back of her mind and she suddenly realised she'd been ready to tell him how they were liars, how they were planning to kill everyone and invade the world. She couldn't do that! Her head pulsed when she took a deep breath. "I mean, it's not..." She searched for something to say, but she was completely at a loss now, thrown off her game.

"Not decent?" the Doctor snapped at her, his guilt making him irrational. "Not polite? It could save their lives."

Probably smelling his weakness, the Gelth pushed. "Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth," they pretended to beg before fading away, disappearing into the gas lamps again.

Gwyneth crumpled on the table and Rose rushed toward her, all fight forgotten. "Gwyneth?"

She vaguely heard Dickens mutter, "All true, it's all true," as she checked Gwyneth's pulse.

The Doctor was watching her from her other side and he slowly stood up, and pulled Gwyneth in his arms. "Leave her to me." Rose wanted to snap at him and order him to leave her alone, but she reminded herself that he was as much a victim as Gwyneth. So she watched him lay her down on the chaise lounge, to rest.

Needing to feel useful, Rose spotted the teapot Gwyneth had brought when they'd come back for the séance, and poured Gwyneth a cup. Tea made everything better, that's what her mum always said. Suddenly a wave of longing overwhelmed her. How she wanted to see her mum right now. Her head hurt, she was feeling nauseous, and she was terrified she would fail. She wanted her mum to take her in her arms, just like when she was a child, and hold her, and tell her everything was going to be okay. The TARDIS hummed comfortingly at the back of her head, and with a sigh, and a fond _Thanks, Girlfriend _sent to the TARDIS, she went back to where Gwyneth was starting to stir.

When Gwyneth opened her eyes, Rose knelt beside her. "It's all right. You just sleep."

"But my angels, Miss," Gwyneth said drowsily. "They came, didn't they? They need me?" Rose knew she was the only one who could detect the bitterness in her voice as she spoke of the creatures she'd once loved and thought a message from her parents.

"They do need you, Gwyneth," the Doctor told her softly. "You're their only chance of survival."

"I've told you to leave her alone," Rose snapped angrily. She wasn't mad at the Doctor, though, she was enraged by the Gelth, who were using him, but unfortunately, the Doctor was the only one here and therefore the object of her irritation. "She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles." She winced in pain before biting her lips. She knew she was totally unfair and she grimaced apologetically to the Doctor before turning toward Gwyneth. "Drink this."

"Well, what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again. What are they?" Sneed asked the Doctor, who stared at Rose for a heartbeat before turning toward the coward.

"Aliens," he answered curtly.

Sneed frowned. "Like foreigners, you mean?" he questioned, his frown turning into a sneer.

"Pretty foreign, yeah," the Doctor confirmed. "From up there," he said, pointing to the sky.

"Brecon?" Sneed asked, and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Close." The Doctor smirked before giving a small smile to Rose. "And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes."

"Which is why they need the girl," Dickens finished and Rose frowned.

"They're not having her," she declared forcefully and it was the Doctor's turn to frown

"But she can help," he said softly, addressing only her. Rose's heart broke when she saw the supplication in his eyes, he wanted her, no, he needed her to understand his need to help them, to make things right. But she couldn't do that and she shook her head regretfully. If only she could tell him what she knew, explain to him that the Gelth were dangerous, hell bent on invading the Earth. Reassure him that there was no almost-genocide to feel guilty for... The TARDIS hummed warningly at the back of her head. _I know, Girlfriend, I won't say a thing. _"Living on the rift, she's become part of it," the Doctor continued, still trying to convince her. "She can open it up, make a bridge and let them through."

"Incredible," Dickens breathed. "Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world, who can only exist in our world by inhabiting cadavers."

"Good system." The Doctor shrugged, trying to appear flippant. "It might work."

"You can't let them run around!" Rose exclaimed, wracking her brain for an argument that could convince him.

"Why not? It's like recycling." _Really?_

Rose glared. "Recycling. Are you nuts? Anyway, they're not using her."

"Don't I get a say, Miss?" Gwyneth intervened.

"Gwyneth, you don't realise what's going on!" Rose exclaimed. How could she ever manage if they both worked against her.

"You would say that, Miss, because that's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid." Gwyneth said, and Rose frowned when she insisted on the words 'inside your head'.

"That's not true!" Rose exclaimed, horrified. All she wanted was to protect her. Was it too much to ask?

Gwyneth smiled sadly at her. "Things might be very different where you're from, but here and now, I know my own mind, and I'm needed," she told her softly, _to save the world_, she didn't say. "Doctor, what do I have to do?" she asked in a stronger voice.

The Doctor glanced at Rose. "You don't have to do anything," he told her softly.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child," Gwyneth said, and once again, Rose was sure she was the only one who could detect the bitterness in her voice at the mention of the Gelth. How hard it had to be for her! They'd been with her forever, she'd loved them! And now she found out they were going to kill her in an attempt to take over the world. "Sent by my mam on a holy mission. So tell me."

The Doctor searched her face for something, he apparently found it since he nodded. "We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mister Sneed," he called as he turned toward the old man. "What's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?"

"That would be the morgue," Sneed answered immediately.

"No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?" Rose sighed, tiredly.

* * *

They descended to the damp, freezing basement where a couple of corpses were laid under white sheets.

"Urgh. Talk about Bleak House," the Doctor muttered, squeezing Rose's hand he'd hesitantly grabbed when they'd left the parlour. She'd immediately grabbed his and he'd given her a small but determined smile, frowning when her answering smile had been more of a grimace. He'd made to let go but she'd squeezed his hand, refusing to let go. He'd frowned in confusion, well aware of the mixed signals she was sending him. But she needed him by her side, as always. Her head was spinning with pain and fear, she wanted to vent and rage at the Gelth and at Gwyneth, so willing to sacrifice herself, and only his hand was keeping her grounded.

"The thing is, Doctor," she said, focusing on the situation at hand, "the Gelth don't succeed," she told him, trying to make him think twice about his decision by playing ignorant. "'cos I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869."

"Time's in flux, changing every second," the Doctor explained to her. Damn, she'd forgotten about that. "Your cozy little world can be rewritten like that. Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing."

"Doctor," Dickens said worryingly. "I think the room is getting colder."

"Here they come," Rose muttered sombrely as a Gelth came out of the gas lamp to float under the archway. She still hadn't found a way to prevent it.

"You've come to help. Praise the Doctor. Praise him," the Gelth said in the same childish voice. "Hurry! Please, so little time. Pity the Gelth."

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer," the Doctor said, warningly. "Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?" he insisted, glancing at Rose, and she realised he was trying to appease her.

She nodded, but still turned toward Gwyneth. "You don't have to do that. We can find another way."

Gwyneth smiled sadly once more and approached Rose slowly to hug her. "You know as well as I do there is no other way," she breathed in her ear, low enough to be only heard by her.

Rose wrapped her arms around her as well. "I'm sure we just need some time to figure something else out," she muttered on the same tone.

"There is no time," Gwyneth told her. "We have to stop them now. I can't let them kill anymore now that I know there's a way to stop them."

"But..." Rose started.

"Stop," Gwyneth told her in a soothing voice. "I'm very grateful you feel so strongly about my death, but I want that child of my family I saw in your mind to be born to this world, a free woman if there ever was one. The knowledge that my family's line will continue brings me great comfort."

"But..." Rose tried again, only to be interrupted again.

"If I don't stop them now, you won't have the life you came back for." That brought Rose up short. "You will lose your Doctor once more. Haven't you sacrificed enough, yet, child? Haven't you both suffered enough? Your presence is already soothing his heart, you know. Already, he feels lighter and more hopeful for his future. Already, the idea of you being in pain is tearing him apart. Already, he's thinking of the best way to keep you at his side. Already, he can't imagine life without you anymore. I know this is a heavy price to pay for your happiness, but I am willing to pay it for you. Let me," she told her softly and urgently before releasing her and adding in a louder voice, "My angels. I can help them live." She was still playing the part of the innocent servant ready to help her 'angels'.

"Okay," the Doctor nodded. "Where's the weak point?"

"Here," the blue shape said urgently. "Beneath the arch."

"Beneath the arch," Gwyneth repeated, and she squeezed Rose's hand one last time before stepping away from her. Rose watched her walk to her death with her fists clenched at her side. Gwyneth's mind was made up, and who was Rose to try and prevent her. She had to admit she didn't have any other idea right now. And, a little voice at the back of her head admitted, part of her was selfish enough to prefer Gwyneth's death over losing her second chance with the Doctor.

Gwyneth stepped under the arch and turned back toward them. Rose's eyes filled with tears when she nodded with a smile.

"Establish the bridge. Reach out to the void," the Gelth said. "Let us through!"

"Yes," Gwyneth breathed in amazement despite everything. "I can see you. I can see you. Come!"

"Bridgehead establishing," the Gelth announced.

"Come to me." Gwyneth called. "Come to this world, poor lost souls!"

"It has begun," the Gelth announced. "The bridge is made." Gwyneth's eyes lost focus, and Rose knew she was dead. _I'm so, so sorry._ She felt a comforting brush against her mind, completely different from the TARDIS, and a voice muttered at the back of her head. _Live a wonderful life with your Doctor, child._ With a strangled sob, she watched Gwyneth open her mouth to let the blue gaseous forms come out.

"She has given herself to the Gelth. The bridge is open. We descend." Rose watched as the blue apparitions turned red, grinning a shark-like grin. "The Gelth will come through in force," the infernal apparition said, in a deeper and harder voice.

"You said that you were few in number!" Dickens exclaimed.

"A few billion," the Gelth answered flippantly. "And all of us in need of corpses."

Rubbing her painful temples, Rose watched as the bodies laid in the morgue sat up, removing the sheets from their faces.

"Gwyneth, stop this." Sneed ordered, stepping forward. "Listen to your master. This has gone far enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone, I beg of you."

With a start, Rose suddenly remembered that Gwyneth wasn't the only one who had died that night. Sneed had been a victim as well but she'd been so focused on Gwyneth that she'd totally forgotten about him. "Mister Sneed, get back!" she tried to warn, but too late and she was forced to watch as a corpse grabbed Sneed and snapped his neck, allowing a Gelth to zoom into his mouth.

"I think it's gone a little bit wrong," the Doctor muttered, grabbing Rose's hand to pull her behind him.

"You think?!" she answered hotly, as he used his body to push her back, trying to keep her away from the approaching corpses.

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth," Sneed said in a lifeless voice. "Come, march with us."

"No!" Dickens screamed, backing toward the stairs.

"We need bodies," the Gelth said coldly. "All of you. Dead. The human race. Dead."

"Gwyneth, stop them!" the Doctor tried, as the man who used to be Sneed approached slowly, pushing them back toward a metal gate. "Send them back now!"

"Three more bodies. Convert them. Make them vessels for the Gelth."

Rose felt her back hit the gate and she quickly pulled the door, squeezing in and dragging the Doctor behind her as Dickens panicked. "Doctor, I can't. I'm sorry. This new world of yours is too much for me. I'm sorry," he told them before running away.

The Doctor didn't even spare him a glance as he slammed the cage door shut, pushing Rose as far as possible inside the cage. "Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth."

"I trusted you," the Doctor said angrily. "I pitied you!"

"We don't want your pity," the corpses answered mockingly. "We want this world and all it's flesh."

"Not while I'm alive," the Doctor threatened darkly.

"Then live no more," the voices concluded.

"But I can't die," Rose blurted, completely overwhelmed. It was too much: the pain, the grief, the fear. She couldn't control her thoughts for a moment. "Tell me I can't. I have so many things to do. Oh, Doctor."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor told her. "Time isn't a straight line. It can twist into any shape. You can be born in the twentieth century and die in the nineteenth and it's all my fault. I brought you here."

Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus on the Doctor's words. "It's not your fault. Never your fault. I wanted to come."

"What about me?" the Doctor exclaimed. "I saw the fall of Troy, World War Five. I pushed boxes at the Boston Tea Party. Now I'm going to die in a dungeon in Cardiff." The horror in his tone would have made her giggle in any other situation but it was not the time.

"It's not just dying," she therefore corrected him. "We'll become one of them."

Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand. She knew Dickens would be back any second now to help them out, but still, even if things changed, there was nowhere else she'd rather be than here by her Doctor's side. "We'll go down fighting, yeah?"

The Doctor squeezed her hand. "Yeah."

"Together?"

"Always!" He smiled at her. "I'm so glad I met you."

"Me too. I wouldn't change it for the world."

Dickens burst through the door and Rose breathed a small sigh of relief. "Doctor! Doctor! Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Now, fill the room, all of it, now!"

"What're you doing?" the Doctor asked, stunned.

"Turn it all on," Rose thought she heard, although it was quite hard to tell through the handkerchief covering Dickens' mouth. "Flood the place!"

The Doctor suddenly connected the dots. "Brilliant. Gas!"

"Am I correct, Doctor?" Dickens asked worriedly. "These creatures are gaseous."

The Doctor nodded with a grin. "Fill the room with gas, it'll draw them out of the host. Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!"

The corpses still pressed against the alcove's bars slowly turned around, shambling toward Dickens. "I hope, oh Lord, I hope that this theory will be validated soon, if not immediately," Dickens said, eyeing them worriedly.

"Plenty more!" The Doctor grinned before ripping a gas pipe from the walls. With a scream, the Gelth left the corpses, which collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Still holding her hand, the Doctor opened the cage door and pulling her, walked to Gwyneth. "Gwyneth, send them back. They lied. They're not angels."

"Liars," Gwyneth confirmed, nodding;

"If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!"

Rose felt faint and staggered, between her pounding head and the gas choking her, the room was starting to spin. "I can't breathe," she gasped.

The Doctor glanced at her worriedly. "Charles, get her out!"

"I'm not leaving you," Rose protested.

At the same time Gwyneth muttered, "They're too strong."

The Doctor slipped an arm around Rose's waist to support her until Charles crossed the room, carefully stepping over the corpses. "Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift."

"I can't send them back," Gwyneth told him. "But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here. Get out." Slowly, so slowly, she reached into her apron pocket to grab a box of matches. "Leave this place!"

"Rose, get out. Now," the Doctor ordered and Rose felt Dickens wrap an arm around her waist and tug her.

"Doctor..." she whispered a weak protest.

"Go," he ordered. And Dickens pulled her away from him. She didn't have the strength to resist him and she staggered after, climbing the stairs with difficulty. Her body felt so heavy, each movement was torturous. Dickens dragged her into the hallway and a breeze of fresh air coming from the wide open door at the other end of the corridor, reached her nostrils. She breathed deeply but it wasn't enough. Her world went black, she felt herself stumble and then she knew no more.

* * *

**There you go! Worth the wait?**


	10. The Unquiet Dead III

**I can't believe I've kept you guys waiting for so long! I was holding onto this chapter, hoping to write the next one before I post it (so I'd keep a bit of headway) but between my finals, wrapping up my second year and starting my third year of school and beginning a ten month long internship in a children psych ward, I didn't had a second to myself! I'm afraid it'll take me a couple of weeks at the very least before the next chapter, sorry. Thank you all for the great reviews! Hope you'll enjoy the end of this tiny arc.**

** Beta'ed by the great hawkerin!**

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**The Unquiet Dead (3/3)**

* * *

When she came to, her back was cold and her legs were burning. Frowning, she opened her eyes to realise that she was laid down on the snow-covered road and that the funeral home was burning. "It's over," she muttered. The Doctor, who'd been kneeling at her side, scanned her immediately before pulling her up in his arms. "Are you okay?" he asked her urgently.

She nodded, hugging him tight. "Gwyneth?" she questioned, although she already knew.

"I'm sorry. She closed the rift."

"At such a cost. The poor child," Dickens said mournfully.

"I did try, Rose," the Doctor assured her, in a desolate voice, "but Gwyneth was already dead. She had been for at least five minutes."

"Five minutes?" Rose repeated, because the Doctor would have found it strange otherwise.

"I think she was dead from the minute she stood in that arch."

Rose slowly stood up and the Doctor rushed to help her, before wrapping an arm around her waist to support her. "But she can't have. She spoke to us. She helped us. She saved us. How could she have done that?

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy," Dickens said sombrely, before adding with a little smirk, "Even for you, Doctor."

"She saved the world. A servant girl. No one will ever know," Rose said, mournfully, because it did break her heart.

"We will," the Doctor told her, squeezing her waist before turning his back to the burning building, pulling her with him toward the TARDIS.

Once they reached it, the Doctor turned toward Dickens, who'd followed them. "Right then, Charlie boy, I've just got to go into my, er, shed. Won't be long."

Rose turned toward him as well. "What are you going to do, now?" she asked him.

Dickens grinned at her. "I shall take the mail coach back to London, quite literally post-haste. This is no time for me to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family and make amends to them. After all I've learned tonight, there can be nothing more vital.

"You've cheered up," the Doctor remarked, and Rose frowned, he, on the other hand, was still in the same sombre mood he'd been since she'd woken up.

"Exceedingly!" Dickens exclaimed. "This morning, I thought I knew everything in the world. Now I know I've just started. All these huge and wonderful notions, Doctor. I'm inspired. I must write about them."

"Do you think that's wise?" Rose asked, knowing full well he'd never get around to write it.

"I shall be subtle at first," Dickens answered. "The Mystery of Edwin Drood still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle. Perhaps he was not of this Earth. The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals. I can spread the word, tell the truth."

"Good luck with it," the Doctor told him. "Nice to meet you. Fantastic," he added, with a shadow of his usual smile.

"Bye, then," Rose told him, shaking his hand, before leaning toward him to kiss his cheek. "And thanks."

"Oh, my dear," Dickens said, quite flustered. "How modern. Thank you, but, I don't understand. In what way is this goodbye? Where are you going?"

"You'll see," the Doctor answered. "In the shed."

Dickens chuckled. "Upon my soul, Doctor, it's one riddle after another with you. But after all these revelations, there's one mystery you still haven't explained. Answer me this. Who are you?"

The Doctor gave him a small smile. "Just a friend passing through."

"But you have such knowledge of future times." Dickens hesitated. "I don't wish to impose on you, but I must ask you. My books, Doctor, do they last?"

The Doctor nodded. "Oh, yes!"

Dickens swallowed heavily. "For how long?"

The Doctor grinned, "Forever!" Dickens took a deep shuddering breath. "Right. Shed. Come on, Rose," the Doctor then said, tugging her along.

"In the box?" Dickens asked, forgetting momentarily his emotion. "Both of you?"

The Doctor smirked. "Down boy. See you."

He tugged Rose with him into the TARDIS and helped her up the ramp. He guided her toward her medicinal herbs box where she'd left it on the console seat as the TARDIS hummed welcomingly at them. Frowning, he opened it and pulled a seed out, handing it to her. She immediately swallowed it, waiting anxiously for the total relief she knew was coming. She sighed when all pain disappeared from her body and made a mental note to never go anywhere without it again.

The tightness around the Doctor's eyes softened marginally when he heard her sigh and he slowly approach the console, stroking it, before pulling a lever down.

"Doesn't that change history if he writes about blue ghosts?" Rose asked him, hoping to turn his thoughts away from whatever was upsetting him.

"In a week's time it's 1870," he told her softly. "And that's the year he dies. Sorry. He'll never get to tell his story."

Rose sighed. That part was a bit harder to wrap her head around when traveling to the past. The knowledge that the people she met and formed an attachment to were already dead. The knowledge that they saved their lives only to let them die of something else. But it was life. "Oh, no. He was so nice."

The Doctor gave her a small smile. "But in your time, he was already dead. We've brought him back to life, and he's more alive now than he's ever been, old Charlie boy. Let's give him one last surprise," he suggested, sending the TARDIS spinning into the vortex.

As the TARDIS dematerialised, they heard Dickens burst out laughing and they both chuckled, but their hearts weren't really in it. Sighing softly, she watched the Doctor drop heavily on the seat near the console and wondered what was going through his mind. "Doctor?"

He looked up and gave her the tiniest smile. "You should go get changed." Biting her lips, she nodded, understanding he needed a moment alone and walked away with a heavy heart.

* * *

Once in her bedroom, she slowly slithered out of her corset, lost in thought. She didn't remember the Doctor being so down the first time around. But then again, she'd been a wreck herself, what with almost dying and all. She hadn't been used to it, yet, and didn't have the ultimate faith she had in the Doctor now. She let the dress slide along her body and pool at her feet, and stepped out of it. Grabbing a shirt, she put it on before sitting on her bed to remove her boots. Those were staying in her room.

Once done, she dropped on her back, to take in all that had happened. Nobody had lived this time. Before landing in Cardiff, she'd been high on her last success at saving everyone on Plateform One. It hadn't even crossed her mind that she might not save Gwyneth, but she hadn't even really tried! Gwyneth had been so determined, so sure of herself and of her actions. She'd used the right words to convince Rose of stepping back and a part of her was feeling terribly guilty of sacrificing the girl to keep her chance with the Doctor. But even now that the pain was gone, even as she wracked her brain, she couldn't see any other way out of it. And she had to admit that Gwyneth's actions served for more than saving the world, the breach was the perfect fuel for the TARDIS and Gwyneth's actions...

She suddenly sat up, struck by an idea. _Is that why you brought us here instead of Naples, Girlfriend?_ The TARDIS hummed mournfully at the back of her head and Rose's mind was assaulted by images of different Doctors stoping on the breach to refuel, of her own Doctor telling her less than an hour earlier '_time's in flux'_, along with waves of exhaustion and she suddenly understood that what had transpired here tonight had shaped the Doctor's actions throughout several of his lives. _So we had to come here and Gwyneth had to die_. The TARDIS hummed sadly again and sent her pictures of humanity's evolution, of the many places they would visit, of all the lives they'd save, of Jack's friend Gwen. _I get it. _She didn't like it, but she did get it. Gwyneth had to die; she had to close the rift, leaving a scar leaking energy for the TARDIS. She'd also had to die so that Rose's world would exist, so that Gwen would live. _You can't save everyone, no matter how hard you wish for it,_ Jack's voice told her in her mind, and she sighed. Talk about a wake up call. She closed her eyes, picturing Gwyneth in her mind, and sighed. _I hope you're with your parents now._ Breathing slowly, she swore to never forget her sacrifice. _Gwyneth..._ she didn't even know her last name... _defender of the Earth._

Sighing heavily, she sat up and went to her closet to grab a pair of jeans. Once on, she put back her trainers and went to the bathroom to undo and brush her hair, ignoring the worried hum at the back of her head. She removed the bit of the make-up she'd put on and looked at herself in the mirror. She was still a bit pale and the tightness around her eyes – put there by constant pain for hours and grief – wasn't totally gone yet. Shrugging at her reflection, she turned away and left the room, slipping her medicinal herbs in her pocket as she went looking for the Doctor.

She slowly made her way back toward the console room, frowning when the TARDIS started to send her wave after wave of worry. _What is it, Girlfriend?_ She accelerated, breaking into a small run and froze upon entering the console room.

The Doctor was in a corner of the room, pounding the coral-like walls of the TARDIS angrily. Numbness invaded Rose's senses. She'd never seen him like this! Not once had he lost control like that the first time around. Or had he? When she'd been too busy pitying herself in the wardrobe room, wondering if traveling with him was worth the risks, had he been beating his frustration away at the TARDIS? Had he been in such a state and she hadn't noticed? She wanted to run to him, to wrap her arms around him to stop him but she wasn't sure he wouldn't accidentally hurt her for her efforts. So she let him work out his frustration for a moment while thinking of the best course of action.

When her second Doctor had left her with John on that beach, he'd said that John was '_born in battle, full of blood and anger and revenge.' _Just like when he'd first met her. This was the man he'd been talking about. The man who'd let Cassandra die – in his mind; the man who'd been ready to leave Cardiff to die out of the anger of what one man had done to her; the man who'd pointed a gun at her in his need to destroy the last of his enemies; the man who'd been ready to sacrifice Jack with no hesitation – granted to save a lot of lives – but to this day Rose wasn't sure they would have gone back for him if she hadn't begged him for it. He was a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at a moment's notice and Rose hadn't even realised the first time around that she'd been diffusing the bomb without even knowing. This time she would have to do it consciously.

The Doctor was still pounding the wall, not noticing the cuts on his knuckles. He would later. Expletives were streaming from his mouth, too low for her to understand clearly but she could guess. The TARDIS hum at the back of her head was breaking her heart: pain, worry, despair for her Doctor, so hurt by the War, still so damaged. He was seething. Bits of coral started falling under the weight of his rage. He let loose an unholy howl that would send braver men running, but it still wasn't enough. He continued with a renewed rage. Punching. Kicking. Swearing. Sweat running into his eyes. Blood staining the coral, dripping on the floor. Blood and sweat were what had made him the Oncoming Storm.

But Rose didn't want the Oncoming Storm. She wanted her Doctor. The man who showed people a better way of life. The man who ran head first into trouble on the tiniest chance of being able to help. The man who'd taken her away in his blue box to show her worlds she had no idea existed. The man who'd made her better than a mere shopgirl. The man who'd love her enough to try giving her a life he couldn't offer her.

It was her job to bring him back.

She wasn't sure she should talk to him in this state. Maybe not yet. Reasoning wouldn't work. It would require him to absorb, to think, and right now, he clearly wasn't able to do so. So she stayed silent, waited patiently until tremors started to shake him. First in his hands, then his arms, then his shoulders. Soon, it was a full body shake. The rage. The indignation. The betrayal. The guilt. All those emotions boiling inside him. He was about to explode.

Rose decided it was enough. She slowly stepped inside the room and her movement caught his attention. She could almost hear the joints in his neck pop as he slowly turned his head toward her. His eyes were dark and cold. Gone was the mischievous sparkle she loved so much. His eyes locked on hers and she stopped breathing. This was it. Time to diffuse the bomb.

The Doctor took a deep breath, his chest expanding to almost inhuman proportions. She braced herself for the scream he could let out. Had she been wrong? Wasn't it the right time? What if he lashed out at her? He'd never forgive himself later. She watched warily as his fingers curled in on themselves. Fists clenched at his sides, he finally breathed out. Softly. A whisper on his lips.

"My hands hurt," he said.

She nodded, not sure she should talk yet. The tremors still coursing through him started to subside. "My hands hurt," he repeated, walking slowly toward the console seat to slump onto it. He looked at his hands, flexed his fingers. The blood was dry. The wounds had already started to mend. "That was a stupid thing I did."

"Yeah, it was," she said softly, approaching him like she would a wounded animal. Never more dangerous than when backed into a corner.

"I just wanted to help them," he told her sadly.

"I know," she nodded, still moving slowly toward him, still keeping her voice soft.

"I pitied them."

"They made themselves as pitiful as possible," she told him soothingly. "They fooled everybody."

"Not you," he told her, gauging her. "You didn't trust them, did you?"

She shrugged. "I had a feeling. B'sides, I've had my fair share of misguided trust in my life." He studied her for a second, and she prayed he wouldn't ask her what she was talking about because she didn't want to think about Jimmy Stone. Not now. Not ever.

"I just felt so guilty," he admitted. She held her breath, not willing to press the issue. "When they mentioned the Time War, all I could think about was helping them."

"I noticed," she said softly, swearing to herself to not add anything else. If he wanted to tell her about it, he would, if not, well, she wouldn't force him.

"I stayed away, you see?" he told her. "For so long, I stayed away from the War because I was terrified of what I'd have to do once I got involved. The Gelth were right, you know, a lot of lesser species died out while we waged our War through Time and Space. Eventually, I had no other choice but to fight. I led my people through many battles, using every weapon at my disposal. I killed millions. And then I saw the fall of the most secure stronghold of Gallifrey. I saw the madness in which my people descended, and the abominations coming at us, and I couldn't let it happen. I put an end to it all. I destroyed every soldier fighting to protect every innocent trying to survive. But it was too little, too late. So many planets are gone now."

"I think they used your guilt against you," she told him, sharing the conclusion she had reached earlier in the evening. She sat next to him and he immediately place his hands in hers, without having been asked, and she slowly stroked his knuckles, checking the already mended wounds under his blood. "The Nestene Consciousness recognised the TARDIS, remember?" she elaborated at his questioning glance. "I think, maybe they did too. After that, it was easy to mention the War."

"I was blinded by guilt," he admitted. She so wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, that the Time Lords and the Daleks were responsible for all the deaths that had happened, that he did the best he could, but she knew it would be useless, so she stayed silent. Gently stroking his slightly swollen knuckles, she let him work through his emotions, accept that he'd been fooled. He shuddered next to her, before sighing, "I made a mess of myself."

"Happens sometimes," she shrugged. Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out the wooden box, grateful she'd taken it with her, and pulled out a seed. His hands still in her other one, the Doctor didn't move and she slowly brought her hand to his mouth, to slip the seed between his lips. "I only wish this could work on emotional pain as well," she told him and he smiled sadly at her.

"Emotional pain never really goes away, anyway. It just stays dormant."

"_It has been said that time heals all wounds. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue, and the pain lessens, but it is never gone," _Rose quoted Rose Kennedy and the Doctor nodded, looking impressed. Rose would have felt insulted if this wasn't the only quote she knew. She'd read it a long time ago and it'd stuck with her throughout the years.

"Something like that, yeah," he told her with a small smile before standing up "I'd better go wash my hands." She nodded and watched him walk away, taking a deep shuddering breath now that the worst was behind them.

By the time he came back, the Doctor seemed to have regained total control over his emotions and he gave her a huge grin. "Right then. Time to get you home!"

"Home?" she squeaked, not even having to pretend to be worried. She held her hands out to him and he put his in hers. He obligingly let her examine his knuckles, grinning.

"Yeah, I'm thinking you probably would like to get your own clothes and stuff before we keep going, no? I mean, the TARDIS can certainly provide you with everything you need if you'd rather we simply go on our next adventure, but I thought maybe you'd feel more at home in the TARDIS if you got some of your own affairs."

"I feel perfectly at home already," she told him distractedly, stroking his pristine skin revealing none of the trauma it just went through, before adding, "That means I can stay?"

He chuckled, pulling his hands back. "Of course! I'm not letting you go anywhere. Quick stop and then off we go. Through time and space!"

She grinned at him, thinking of future times when they'd make a little show out of those words. "Home it is, then."

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**There you go! Worth the *cringes* awfully long wait?**


End file.
